If you are so adamant in rejecting my second reason, I will concede since I don't see much point in discussing about cultural perceptions over and over (though it may be important to remark that, statistically speaking, the Japanese average person do tends to be less physically affectionate than his/her Western counterpart. Some Anime precisely provides an escapade from that emotional drawback for some people) , and cover myself behind the first one. You have to enter the authors mind and understand what he is trying to tell you
