What the Japanese culture and other Asian cultures similarly encourage however is discipline (majime, まじめ), and the proper way (matomo, まとも）. This means parents instill time management (basically they force kids to take the time to study) and procedure (study environment, tools, focus, resources). This is the true cultural advantage.
With regards to suicide, this too can be correlated to culture with statistics, but it has nothing to do with perfectionism. I would attribute it more to their naivety when it comes to mental well being, and to self sacrifice. In other words, they think it's okay to suffer and sacrifice their mental health far past the safe line, and fare more than most would permit in the west. In Japan, your "self" takes a back seat to the onus of being the majime and matomo Japanese citizen.
The answer is to learn time management, discipline, and procedure, but while staying healthy, both physically and mentally. That's what OP's father did. He made sure his daughter's mental health was okay. That's what parents ought to do, and he deserves all the credit in the world.