A friend of mine studying in Kyoto once told me, "The Japanese don't have the Christian guilt & shame regarding sex and the body that we Westerners do.". Parents bathe with their children until much older than is acceptable beyond western norms and beyond that males and females bathe together and publicly. That was a challenge when I first came to Japan and used a public bath in Yoyogi for the first time. Quickly came to find out no one really gave a shit I was there showering.
As far as freedom goes, yes having a cold one while walking down the street is nice but... i can't really think of something to compare it to back in the states at the moment. I will say though we can get away with a lot of things in Japan because we are gaijin, not part of their system. There is a time when you can become part, when you obey the social norms and become an upstanding citizen. As an individual I'll probably never get there. Until then though you can get away with things like telling your bucho you won't endanger yourself on the job or how you think another way of doing it would be better or how it's Sunday and there's no fucking way you're working 7 days a week.
Both countries have their positives and negatives. I feel more secure under the law in the states than I do in Japan, but I know in Japan I can get away with things by saying a few moshiwake arimasen deshitas than I could in the states. Additionally in California I have tons of rights that my employer can not infringe on, whereas in Japan labor protections are a joke, HAAAAAGEEEEEE!!!!
Both countries are free in their own way, and I love both of them, but in the states I have rights enshrined into law that I do not have in Japan. Now, pass me a cold one.