[cgh]

Diabetes is likely a factor: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/931132

And obesity is strongly correlated with diabetes: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-and-obesity.html

There is a distinction to be drawn between obesity rates in the US and Japan and that might be part of the answer to your question.

[nradov]

New York state has about 6× the obesity rate of Japan.