I suppose on the tan comments. In parts of the west, having darker or tan skin is a sign of beauty, hence so many get tans for vanity reasons. So I guess not so crazy for the Japanese to have the reverse. And it's not just the Japanese, I believe its the same in South Korea and China. Fairer skin free of blemishes.

I get that white washing is a thing, before anything thinks I'm defending whitewashing. But I also am aware there's also a cultural difference here that could be a plausible explanation.