How low will he go? Obama gives Japan's Emperor Akihito a wow bow (Updates with videos, pic)
(New UPDATE: Monday 5:02 p.m. OK, it's not funny if you work at the White House. But for everybody else a new video at the bottom of this post will provide some chuckles about how the rest of the world chooses to greet the Japanese Emperor. Hint: It's different than President Obama.)
(UPDATES: 12:22 p.m. Saturday. A brief news video has been added below, showing the greeting in this photograph. Contrary to some claims, the video shows no reciprocal bow by the emperor, who traditionally bows to no one. And we've added a file photo from 2007 of Vice President Dick Cheney greeting the Japanese Emperor at the same residence in a different fashion.)
How low will the new American president go for the world's royalty?
This photo will get Democrat President Obama a lot of approving nods in Japan this weekend, especially among the older generation of Japanese who still pay attention to the royal family living in its downtown castle. Very low bows like this are a sign of great respect and deference to a superior.
To some in the United States, however, an upright handshake might have looked better. (See Cheney-Akihito photo, right).
Remember Michelle Obama casually patting Britain's Queen Elizabeth on the back during their Buckingham Palace visit? America's royalty tends to make movies and get bad reviews and lots of money as a sign of respect.
Obama could receive some frowns back home as he did for his not-quite-this-low-or-maybe-about-the-same-bow to the Saudi king not so long ago. (See photo here)
How times change under Democratic presidents.
Back in 1994 when President Bill Clinton appeared to maybe perhaps almost start to bow to Akihito at a White House encounter, U.S. officials rushed to deny it was any such a thing. And the N.Y. Times chronicled the comedic drama here.
Akihito, who turns 76 next month, is the eldest son and fifth child of Emperor Showa, the name given to an emperor and his reign after his death.
Emperor Showa is better known abroad by the life name of Hirohito. He became emperor in 1925 and died in 1989, the longest historically-known rule of the nation's 125 emperors.
Hirohito presided over his nation's growth from an undeveloped agrarian economy into the expansionist military power and ally of Nazi Germany of the 1930's.
And, later, Japan became a global economic giant. Hirohito, along with Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, who authorized the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, were much reviled abroad during World War II.
Historically, debate has simmered over how much of a political puppet Hirohito was to the country's military before and during the war.
Even after Democratic President Harry Truman ordered the two atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the summer of 1945, there were strong forces within Japan that wanted to continue to fight the Americans in the spirit of kamikaze suicide pilots.
But Akihito's father went on national radio, the first time his subjects had ever heard Hirohito's voice, and without using the inflammatory word "surrender," pronounced that the country must "accept the unacceptable." It did.
As the conquering Allied general and then presiding officer of the U.S. occupation, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, decided to allow Japan to keep its emperor as a ceremonial unifying institution within a nascent democracy.
Tojo, on the other hand, was hanged.
MacArthur treated Emperor Hirohito respectfully but, as his body language in this black and white postwar photo demonstrates, was not particularly deferential.
(But then MacArthur was not known as a particularly deferential person, as Truman discovered just before firing him later. But that's another war.)
Akihito was born during Japan's conquering of China and was evacuated during the devastating American fire-bombing of Tokyo, which was built largely of wood in those days.
The future emperor learned English during the U.S. occupation, but, inexplicably, his father ordered that his oldest boy not receive an Army commission as previous imperial heirs always had.
Akihito assumed the throne on Jan. 7, 1989. Within weeks he began a series of formal expressions of remorse to Asian countries for Japan's actions during his....
...father's reign. In 2003, he underwent surgery for prostate cancer.
In 1959, Akihito married Michiko Shoda, the first commoner allowed to enter the Japanese royal family. That was two years before the birth of Akihito's future presidential guest, Barack Obama.
Joe Biden was already 17 by then. But he wasn't a senator.
-- Andrew Malcolm
No bowing necessary here. Just click here to get Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item. Or follow us @latimestot. And we're also over here on Facebook.
Photo: Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty; David Bohrer / White House (Vice President Dick Cheney greets Emperor Akihito somewhat differently in 2007); Reuters (Obama bows to the king of Saudi Arabia earlier this year); U.S. Army Archives (Gen. Douglas MacArthur not bowing to Emperor Hirohito after World War II).
he made us look like fools.. we are going to be the laughing stock of the world baefore this man is voted out.
Posted by: delores davis | November 16, 2009 at 06:59 PM
What's next? A prayer rug and a visit to a Muslim Mosque praying beside Sheikh Awlaki?
Posted by: Jimmy | November 16, 2009 at 07:03 PM
Obama don't bow to no one! He ate too much bad sushi and had to cut the cheese! To cut the cheese, bend over please!
Posted by: KnowBow | November 16, 2009 at 07:04 PM
How low will Obama go? Considering this creep crawled out from under a rock probably about a low as your average dung beetle.
Posted by: Connie A | November 16, 2009 at 07:10 PM
It is sad and pathetic for anyone to believe that it somehow weakens the position of the United States for our leader to treat our neighbors with -- GASP! -- respect and humility. The Peace prize was just the latest evidence that the world has bought into this spirit of cooperation.
Those making many of the comments here (likely the same myopic crowd that dismissed the Nobel Prize voters as stupid, and cheered the United States not getting the olympics) would apparently prefer that we go back to being the insensitive, rude, uninformed bullies of the last eight years.
What do you think, both Obama and the guy he's bowing to don't both know Obama is the more powerful of the two? When both parties know that one guy is clearly in the power position, but he uses gestures to try to elevate the other to feel like he is a worthy participant in the interaction, that's not cowardice, it strength!
Unfortunately that kind of nuance is lost on people who think that this somehow constitutes "groveling". I think that kind of pig-headed, self-aggrandizing thinking says a lot about a person. To me, it says: "Let's never be friends." I'm guessing the other nations of the world feel the same way.
Like it or not, as powerful as we are, we need help from our neighbors around the world. Unfortunately, it seems from reading these comments, a depressing number of us are too sad and pathetic to recognize that.
Posted by: Gene | November 16, 2009 at 07:11 PM
President Puss is just getting familiar with the Emperor's package. He has to do something since he forgot to apologize for Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Posted by: Steve-o | November 16, 2009 at 07:21 PM
Again....and again...and again....and again! So very tired of this clown. He doesn't even come close to what America is........and he represents us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I wish the next time this clown bows someone would throw a flying knee kick upside his communist dome.
Posted by: Spear | November 16, 2009 at 07:34 PM
Did he lick his boots too?
Posted by: woody | November 16, 2009 at 07:54 PM
After watching the video, I think this is another case of the still camera lying (similar to the 'ogleing picture').
In the video, it's apparent that Obama's actual bow was quite short and probably overcompensated due to the extreme height difference between the two. The still photo makes one think that he held the bow for minutes on end.
Posted by: Chris Strasser | November 16, 2009 at 07:54 PM
This guy is a clown....first the Saudi King and now the Japanese Emporer.....for pete's sake STOP bowing! He is an embarassment to the citizens of this country.
Posted by: P-Dub | November 16, 2009 at 07:55 PM
Obama has more gonads and brains than the last five presidents. He has handily made the Owners (and lets face it) of China very happy. They will show this picture all over China with great pride. So much so that they might well go with him over Iran. He's made moves with Saudi Arabia, China and Russia in this short time. Personally I am not so impressed with his internal policies (yet that is) but can't fault him for his appreciation of the cultures with which he wishes good dialogue and he needs to smooth the feathers of generations belittled treatment. We couldn't even call Beijing the right name for generations. Mending fences is a must in this world of multilateralism.
Posted by: David Myles | November 16, 2009 at 08:05 PM
Our commander in chief is an idiot, a socialist, communist, a muslim and does not respect america. I can't wait until he is out of office!!! The sooner the better, before The United States becomes a country like Kenya, where he was probaly born.
God bless America!
Posted by: Evelyne Mitchell | November 16, 2009 at 08:15 PM
GO OBAMA! You did the right thing! The problem with American is that they always treat the other nation like a slave! I"M AMERICAN! I DON"T NEED TO RESPECT ANYONE! I"M THE BOSS! I"M RUDE! So What's up, Yo... Yo... Sup? Obama treat the other nations more like Friend. He give his respect! He show the world that America wanna be friend with you, not to be your boss! I still say, GO OBAMA!
Posted by: Mitch | November 16, 2009 at 08:28 PM
It is ironic that an african american would break the long standing tradition of American Presidents not bowing to Kings and Emporers. The tradition of not bowing was to make a statement that the power of democracy was greater and more deserved than the power passed on through birthright that royalty had.
An now an african american accepts the fact that he must bow to those who were born superior to him??
A complete slap in the face of democracy.
Posted by: wsmith | November 16, 2009 at 08:29 PM
Anybody here think about what Japanese people think about this picture? Many Japanese commented they're impressed and appreciated by his politeness. I, as a Japanese citizen living in LA, agree. Bowing is the formal greeting style in Japan, and the President of the US as the official guest to Japanese Royals follows Japanese courtesy is nothing to be laughed at.
Posted by: Wako | November 16, 2009 at 08:30 PM
It's comforting to know that he is fixing everything and the world will like us more. That being said, this is a good time to acknowledge that General MacArthur brought trade unions and Edward Deming to Japan. It was General MacArthur who, as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces occupying Japan following an unconditional surrender (actually, we allowed one conditon, through back channels) by the Japanese Imperial Army, gave women the right to vote in Japan. And when General MacArthur was defeated in his bid for the Republican nomination for the Presidency, many Japanese went into the streets and wept openly, out of profound respect for the man. Not bad for an old soldier from West Point. Now, we have this. Again I will ask, where was this guy born?
Posted by: jggrimm | November 16, 2009 at 08:31 PM
From Ms. Tarini's post at 7:57 A.M., "Obama is our great Leader and he is Young."(sic). Our "GREAT LEADER"? Sound familiar, anyone? Read MS. Tarini's comment if you want to get educated regarding the thinking of someone raised in a supposedly communist but actually theocratic country since Kim Il Sung was actually a god, born of a lotus flower. I kid you not. Grown men and women were sobbing uncontrollably at the death of the "Great Leader" since god can't die, can he? McArthur insisted that Hirohito confess he was not a god to the Japanese people as a condition of the surrender. I imagine that would rock one's world. When I first heard all the broughaha about the bow I thought it was much ado about nothing, until I saw the picture and video. The Emperor bows to no one, so what is wrong with our President demanding the same respect? He was not showing respect to the Emperor, but disrespect for those who have died fighting for the values this country is supposed to stand for, as well as those of us living who have any self respect. It has nothing to do with the color of his skin and everything to do with the content of his character, or lack thereof. We do not believe in hereditary merit or bestowed titles, nor cruel caste systems in this country. Respect is possible for ANYONE to earn, regardless of color, gender or creed, etc. This Nation wasn't born perfect, nor are we perfect now, but we ALWAYS strive for perfection. I for one am proud to be American, and I apologize to no one for that.
Brian
Posted by: Brian Keefe | November 16, 2009 at 08:33 PM
I wonder whether he has ever bowed before God?
Posted by: Tim | November 16, 2009 at 08:34 PM
Another embarrassment by our community organizer, will he ever learn how to behave? he is such as kiss up it is so ugly for the United States the strongest Nation on earth to have a puzzy president! Shame on obama! Mr. obama is an enemy sympathizer and a complete clown when meeting other dignitaries. when the Conservatives take over congress we might find some Impeachment charges, he just barely stays on the legal line.
Posted by: nancy hughes | November 16, 2009 at 08:36 PM
anti-obamans jumping on the topic, i can understand.
a respectable newspaper writing this crap article, i dont understand.
bowing is customary in Japan and just portrays respect, not subjection. its the handshake equivalent of US.
the fact that so many people ignore this above fact and just keep on ranting about how shitty obama is shows how we became such a polarized nation. we dont want to hear real truth. we just spin it.
Posted by: didly | November 16, 2009 at 08:39 PM
At least he didn't throw up in his lap. Wow. America's trailer parks are really in an uproar over this guy. This just in. Sarah Palin has picked Brittany Spears as her running mate.
Posted by: Zip | November 16, 2009 at 08:51 PM
I love how there are a ton of people here throwing around casual racism and then claiming Obama is the one ruining the United States because he bowed to another official. It seems that a sign of respect clearly upsets a lot of folks in the good ol' US of A
Posted by: konnichiwa | November 16, 2009 at 08:58 PM
see this is why other countries hate america because of all of you people who are ignorant and act like we are the best thing every. It is because of your cocky attitude that the rest of the worl hates us. We need to give that up and respect everyone else and show them we veiw them as equals not as inferiors. Give respect and you will receive respect.
another thing this country has freedom of religon just because he may be muslim but that doesnt make him a terrorist. So all of you conservatives shut up and dont be so bitchy just because we didnt vote for your dinosaur.
Posted by: Johm | November 16, 2009 at 09:14 PM
Obama is a chump.
Posted by: Obama Chump | November 16, 2009 at 09:21 PM
He is an Anti-American socialist traitor and I do beleive the Anti-Christ. Wonder if he would bow to that terrorist Mohammed? Wouldn't suprise me.
Posted by: Nina | November 16, 2009 at 09:26 PM
He will bow to a saudi and japan leader but would not kiss the Pope rings in Rome.
Posted by: Bob | November 16, 2009 at 09:26 PM
We save the world from tyrants and Fascists, those that would enslave the world. We deliver untold amounts of aid at the slighted hint of need and our fearless leader feels he must apologize for us? WTH? This guy need to get a clue.
Posted by: UpChuck.Liberals | November 16, 2009 at 09:29 PM
Okay, so why didn't Emperor Akihito bow back? Is it he bows to no one ever? In that case, he needs an ego check and presidents of other countries owe him nothing in a bow unless he reciprocates with mutual respect. We do not condone, recognize or foster the idea that an Emperor or ANY leader has more respect (i.e. power) than the next. That would be a great sign of weakness. And if the Emperor does not bow to anyone else, it's probably for the same reason. Guess this means the weakening of this country at the hands (or waist) of Obama truly is what his intentions are.
Posted by: Nina | November 16, 2009 at 09:35 PM
When will Obama bow to the will of his OWN people? And by "own people" I am not talking about just the majority of the misguided utopian believer left wing nuts. The majority of this country speaks out every day on what they want or don't want and so far, if that majority voices one desire - you can bet the fringe thinkers now in power will do the exact opposite of that, even when their OWN are disagring with them. byt.. same went on with the Bush administration.... so... there is no left/right divide here. It's the GVT vs THE PEOPLE. Haven't you wing nuts (plural meaning both sides) realized that yet?
Posted by: Nina | November 16, 2009 at 09:48 PM
It's great to see so many LA Times readers with an accurate and current grasp of Japanese etiquette! It's fascinating that included in the ethnic and cultural smearing, party-mongering, and chest-beating, is an understanding of a cultural aspect of Japan that even Japanese buy books on to learn the intricacies of. Clap, clap, clap.
Posted by: Gaijin | November 16, 2009 at 09:50 PM
He was raised in Hawaii, and in Hawaii we learn to respect all cultures. That being said, the height of the bow is very important. Obama's bow was very low. Much lower than is customary for a show of respect. Regardless of what his defenders are saying, that low bow is the kind of bow you give to those in authority over you as a show of your yielding to their authority or status.
Posted by: M. Silva | November 16, 2009 at 09:58 PM
Sometimes the pride of Americans is so disgusting. We should not honor any other culture? It is a skill of the President to employ the social standards of another country in a greeting. It's appropriate and in good taste - it honors his host. The fact that Cheney didn't bow shows how disrespectful and full of false pride Cheney was. Our pride is gonna get us into big trouble. Thank God a President like Obama actually has some skills in relating to other cultures. We are so full of ourselves and so myopic.
Posted by: drala | November 16, 2009 at 10:00 PM
I just read a bunch of the posts here. God, what a bunch of haters. I've got one thing to say to you all - America: Love it or Leave it! God, I've waited 40 years to say that to you right wing nut jobs!!!!!!
Posted by: drala | November 16, 2009 at 10:10 PM
NUTS !
Posted by: Texican | November 16, 2009 at 10:14 PM
Although i don't dislike Pres. Obama, i strongly believe he Should Not Bow to anyone when he is the President of the USA. Just because another country's custom is to kiss someone's ass does not mean we have to kiss their ass. I feel sad and sorry to see this happen...AGAIN!!!
Does he not understand that we Americans feel slighted by these gestures. Who is more important to please? your country's citizens or the saudis and the japanese.
i hope he would stopping being subservient. He needs to also understand that these customs abroad were made to make people inferior to their superiors. So pls lose this behavior!!
Posted by: jay | November 16, 2009 at 10:18 PM
How now with the bow, brown bozo?
Posted by: lionel libson | November 16, 2009 at 10:29 PM
Another Obamanation! This would have been an ideal gesture on Pearl Harbor Day, December 7th.
A bow that shall live in infamy.
Posted by: lionel libson | November 16, 2009 at 10:31 PM
Just because he went to a madrassa in Indonesia and visited Pakistan while in college (and on drugs, as he himself admitted) does not make him a cosmopolitan. He's no American of real value, but even as a Marxist, he should know better than bow to an emperor.
Posted by: Andrzej P. | November 16, 2009 at 10:37 PM
I can't believe this guy. No one briefed him on Japenese culture? What a weak individual this fraud is. This man sucks up to everyone, makes me sick. American citizens have had one pulled over on them, this guy was born in Kenya and is by law not the President. I sure thought Bush was a putz but this guy is right there with him.
Posted by: Steve | November 16, 2009 at 10:57 PM
Particularly l don't see anything wrong in a simple bow to someone who is very much older the the U. S President. President Obma was respecting the culture. The thing is that Americans should learn to respect other peoples culture. They should stop criticizing the president and stop calling him stupid names. He is a good man.
Posted by: TM | November 16, 2009 at 11:18 PM
I am surprised at the lack of outrage on this faux pas from Obama. Bowing to the Japanese emperor whose father precided over WWII attacks is not just a mistake. It is an affront to the bravest men this country has ever seen.
For someone who claims to have been born in Hawaii, Obama sure seems to lack any understanding of US history of the Japanese attacks.
Posted by: RB | November 16, 2009 at 11:19 PM
Yes, whine about how low he bows. Wouldn't want to talk about anything of actual substance, would we?
Posted by: Joe | November 16, 2009 at 11:39 PM
Oh you people...impeachment for aiding terrorism? You obviously have some great sources for information, and we should probably just take your word for it. Well, maybe not. How? Why? When? Give it a go, and try not to sound ignorant. Extra points for managing to scrape together anything that even remotely resembles a logical argument.
So what? The guy bowed. Even if it wasn't culturally warranted (which it was, though the simultaneous bow handshake was a bit off), is it a crime for a world leader to show a little humility? The best leaders did. All you right wingers read your bible- remember that time Jesus washed people's feet? I'm not comparing the two men, I'm just pointing out the ridiculousness of the outrage over this, especially considering its primary source.
I personally think that it shows a tremendous amount of strength to exhibit humility while wielding great power. It's the people who forget this, historically, that become tyrants. Another lesson you'll learn by reading books...sigh...
Posted by: The Kid | November 16, 2009 at 11:45 PM
He is showing his respect for their tradition in Japan. He is their guest. Why wouldn't he bow??? It shows Obama is cultured and not inclined to arrogance.
Posted by: Monica | November 16, 2009 at 11:46 PM
Obama proved to the world that Americans and especialy America's presidents not always Yankee!
he showed a knowledge of oriental traditions and customs, and showing proper respect to the host proved you are considerate, educated politician and the Emperor is 72 year old!!, I don't think he would bow if he is an American prisoner brought to the Emperor, all he did was "when in Rome do as Romans do" he's trying to show that Americans are not always arrogant.
Being a Vietnammese i still can't understand why Americans even learned ones, walked in to a room full of natives and asked "any body here ?" when actually looking for another American. I don't think Obama will ever do this.
Americans paid for arrogance, ignorance in Viet Nam, in Korea, Afganistan and all other country American spent money, shed blood for good cause on, just to earn "YANKEE GO HOME" and bitter taste of failure. stop criticized your President, learn from him, after all you did voted for him right?
Hey Mr Obama if you ever visit Viet Nam i'm sure welcome you to my dinner table
Posted by: vu nhu khanh | November 16, 2009 at 11:57 PM
I see the words "need now bow." Why not go ahead and say 'cannot' or 'will not' or 'shall not?' Oh. That's right. It's still freaking America: Home of the free. Land of the brave. If this tall-as-a-tree black guy is BRAVE enough to bow, with all you freaking pansies, ready to rape him over every trite little nuance of his presidency, then he is a far braver man than I.
No. What he should do is, instead, insist that Japan has weapons of mass destruction, and enslave the Japanese people and declare war on a totally unrelated subject that just may happen to resided in Japan, or may not. Who's counting? He can even say that they took their samples from the original bombs we dropped on them all them many year ago. Then we got 'um for theft, too! Yeee haw! Captain Texas!
Seriously. Steps in the right direction: repairing American relations with the people who hold all our I.O.U.s, fixing the economy based off all those I.O.U.s that YOUR president left us with, and and then... mm... maybe fixing the energy crisis and world hunger.
Posted by: Minnie Shoof | November 17, 2009 at 12:06 AM
Unbelievable how Americans find this so demeaning. In Japan, you bow in lieu of shaking hands, it's culture, not insult. And, no matter who you are, you bow back, with only one exception - the Imperial Highness the Emporer. There is no President here, there is a Prime Minister, and a bow is a courtesy. I am proud that my President sees international culture and doesn't sit back and say "I am from the United States, I bow to no-body." Bowing and receiving a bow does nothing to imply seniority, it's a show of respect. Taken a step further, get a grip on reality - the United States is a world leader, but our stock is slipping - ask the Chinese how much of America they own. Maybe we should learn to integrate and stop sitting back on the deeds of our fathers. That arrogance is a part of what got us into the hole we're in today.
Posted by: Arthur | November 17, 2009 at 12:09 AM
President Obama only showed respect to the Japaneses Emperor. This is a very respectfull and polite usage.. which should b more praticed in the US and by US people : this would really help america to be more respected outside the US....
to the people who do not like what Obama has done , do you ever travel outside america ? It would open your mind
Posted by: James | November 17, 2009 at 12:53 AM
Gee, the President putting his face in some guy's crotch! Who'da thunk it!
Posted by: Lynn | November 17, 2009 at 02:14 AM
Wow how many Republicans are on this site complaining. Probably oh so many. I dont understand what the big deal is about, theres a difference between bowing down in submission (Which I dont see Obama bowing down on his knees like all the previous comments are acting like) and the bowing down out of the respect for someone elses country. So typical to be ignorant and ignore other peoples cultures because everyone has their nose so high in the air about Americas culture being perfect. Just drop it this isnt even news worthy, he bowed out of respect, get over it. So stop being over dramatic about our fore fathers dying to be free from England it doesnt even relate at all. Dont worry one single bow isnt going to enslave America.
Posted by: Brandon | November 17, 2009 at 02:59 AM