I've frozen unopened Tillamook baby loafs many times (medium and sharp cheddar, Colby jack, Monterrey jack) and never noticed a difference when I finally open them.

Personally I would never freeze any cheese, but if you have to, then stick with harder, aged cheeses like Parmesean, Gruyere, aged Alpine styles, etc.

Never freeze brie, or any other soft cheeses. I've never done it myself, but the thought alone makes me cringe.

Cheeses with a low moisture content freeze well (think hard, aged cheeses like parmesan, gruyere, etc.). Cheeses like cheddar, jack and and mozzarella can be frozen if you're planning to melt them once they're thawed (freezing changes the texture and makes it weird, but that ceases to matter once the cheese is melted.)

Dairy products have not, historically, been a part of the Chinese or Japanese diet. Since food traditions run deep in both of these cultures, there is little presence of dairy in local foods. Of course, there are Starbucks and cheeseburger joints all over.

However, the dairy industry developed rapidly in Japan after WWII (starting in Hokkaido), and is now a major presence nationwide. You will find many milk products, yogurt, and some cheeses in every shop in Japan. Increasingly, diary is finding its way onto Japanese tables. In fact, Japanese people drink milk as a beverage much more than Americans do.

In China, the dairy industry began to explode around 10 years ago. Chinese officials observed how the Japanese are now taller, on average, than Chinese and attributed some of this to milk consumption. State support for dairy farming and dairy companies has been significant, and dairies are now found all over the country (not just in the traditional dairy region of Mongolia).

Western corporate influence is also a big factor.

Adult lactose tolerance is genetic, and many people of Asian extraction do not possess the ability to eat dairy without GI distress. The genes for lactose intolerance developed in places where historically the people were cattle herders. So, Europeans, certain ethnic groups in Africa and India, and Americans (since many of us are of European descent) have cheese and dairy in their cuisine. Most Asian cultures don't.

Here's a link to a map of lactose tolerance averages worldwide. It's actually a pretty cool example of recent human evolution.