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).
This photo burns me up. I voted for Obama with great enthusiasm. But no U.S. President or even representative of the U.S. government has any business bowing to a foreign sovereign. We fought a few wars about that.
It is wrong and BAD PROTOCOL and extremely offensive.
Remember Selwa Roosevelt obsequiously and wrongly curtseying to the Queen of England in the Reagan administration? Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Posted by: Julie Winn | November 17, 2009 at 01:43 PM
What is wrong with you idiots. So you prefer a President that shows absolutely no respect to leaders of other countries? Remember, to get respect, you have to give respect. But you idiots don't want respect, just more wars, hate, racism and intolerance. Sad
Posted by: Joe The Informed | November 17, 2009 at 01:45 PM
A handshake is enough.
Posted by: Noble | November 17, 2009 at 01:47 PM
Annie, you are a racist pig and what is wrong with this country. Racists make me sick. And by the way, he is half white, so doesn't that make him half good according to you bigotry meter?
Posted by: Joe The Informed | November 17, 2009 at 01:48 PM
I thought Cheney's greeting looked far worse then Obama's bow. You know why? BECAUSE IT WAS DICK CHENEY. A BOW DOESN'T MATTER AND OBAMA GOVERNS FAR MORE REASONABLY THEN HIS PREDECESSORS AND HIS CONGRESSIONAL COUNTERPARTS. TO CALL A BOW A BIG DEAL OR TREASON ONLY PROVES HOW IRRATIONAL YOU ARE. JESUS, PICK YOUR BATTLES MORONS.
Posted by: Phil | November 17, 2009 at 01:48 PM
You guys are really missing the point. I've lived in Japan for 4 years and it's very much a sign of respect and for Obama to have done this shows a lot of sensitivity to their culture. This nonsense about him groveling, etc. is just that...nonsense. It's rather a gesture of politeness born from a position of strength.
Being strong doesn't mean being an impolite ass when in another country and forcing your own culture onto them when you're inside their border. True strength and confidence gives one the position to show courtesy without concern for the kind of childish worries of "he's showing weakness" you guys are claiming in your comments.
Your comments all show a sever lack of cultural understanding and sensitivity and miss the point.
Posted by: Michael | November 17, 2009 at 01:51 PM
no one remember the word"reverence"even among japanese...hard to get the national polity of Japan,but I have. I deeply appreciate for this man of America.
Posted by: Naoki | November 17, 2009 at 01:51 PM
How low will he go? Obama gives Japan's Emperor Akihito a wow bow.
I am not surprised that this comment came from foxnews.com, the Republican mouth piece that pretends to be a news organization and pretends to be "fair and balanced." For argument's sake, how did Obama's humble bow to a Japanese emperor and to a Saudi king affect Americans? Do you feel inferior now? An arrogant American President didn't achieve very much, as George W. Bush has exhibited; but the Republicans will find anything, anything at all, to criticize a Democratic President.
Posted by: Skeptic | November 17, 2009 at 01:53 PM
Not only did he bow once, but he continued with a series of bizarre little stuttering bows. From behind, where this camera angle is, it looks like he is fellating the air. The video gets downright funny if you imagine the woman in the video holding a small dog!
Posted by: JDW | November 17, 2009 at 01:55 PM
JUST KEEP IT SIMPLE!...OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT...2012...2016...2020...2024...FOREVER! NOW COUNT THE BOWS?.....THIS ARTICLE SHOW WEAKNESS IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY? THE LATE WISCONSIN SENATOR JOE McCARTHY WOULD LABEL THE WRITER OF THIS ARTICLE AND HIS FOLLOWER AS "COMMUNISM" HE WOULD SAY THEY ARE UN-AMERICAN AND THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
Posted by: SPAM BLOCKER2 | November 17, 2009 at 01:56 PM
Iam so very sorry i voted for this person. Ive already changed from a democrat to a republican. Well see in a few year's if we can send obama out of office. He and his cabinet are out of there mind's
Posted by: mark | November 17, 2009 at 01:58 PM
A bow? People are calling for impeachment over a bow?! I can't believe we don't have better things to worry about. I can believe we've gotten this petty as a nation, though. Sick and sad.
Posted by: Zach | November 17, 2009 at 01:58 PM
this guy doesn't have a clue. I'm more qualified to be president than he is.
Posted by: steve j | November 17, 2009 at 01:59 PM
Indeed, both Bushes are homeys with the Saudi Royal Family both financially and politically - you remember Saudi Arabia, don't you? That is from where 19 of the 21 suicide bombers on 9/11 came from.
Posted by: Thomas | November 17, 2009 at 02:01 PM
who the hell voted for this dufas
Posted by: Sophia | November 17, 2009 at 02:05 PM
this is why America will fail, the american people and the american media is deeply stupid and after electing what is probably one of the most open minded and intelligent president ever, you tear him apart for just being respectful towards other culture's traditions instead of being an average cowboy like Bush...
Posted by: raff | November 17, 2009 at 02:29 PM
The loudest criticism on this Obama's bow is coming from the neocons. And this bow was made intentionally after a similar criticism over the bow to the Saudi Prince.
Before this, we had also seen Secretary Clinton holding hands with the Empress Michiko like two little girls.
I think Pres.Obama is very subtly trying to win the hearts of ordinary Japanese (including the conservative ones who were the friends of the US neocons) to save the alliance and to prevent a drastic change of its content.
Mr.Obama must be also trying to signal that the US has clearly changed from the neocon days and that he is not an occupier.
Posted by: shirogikumaru | November 17, 2009 at 02:38 PM
Other traditions that should be observed but commonly are not are as follows:
In Wisconsin, belching is a common greeting, often followed by " Why are we here?"
In California, it is expected that you ask "Are you from Immigration?"
In Detroit, most people greet each other with a gun pointed directly at each other, usually accompanied by "You touch that and your dead".
In Florida, most greet each other with "Your still alive?"
Good thing to see that Obama follows tradition. Usually a president that tanks in the polls this early leaves office after one term. Here's to tradition!
Posted by: Guy Thompto | November 17, 2009 at 02:40 PM
AMERICAN HISTORY
DECEMBER 7, 1941
Theodore Roosevelt: "A date which will live in infamy".
4 battleships sunk,
4 battleships damaged including 1 run aground
2 destroyers sunk,
1 damaged
1 other ship sunk,
3 damaged 3 cruisers damaged
188 aircraft destroyed,
155 aircraft damaged,
2,345 military and
57 civilians killed,
1,247 military and
35 civilians wounded
4 midget submarines sunk,
1 midget submarine run aground,
27 aircraft destroyed,
55 airmen, 9 submariners killed and
1 captured
BOWING TO JAPANESE EMPEROR? Does that really matter?
OBAMA has not studied American History and obviously does not care about this country? ...
"The main thing history can teach us is that human actions have consequences and that certain choices, once made, cannot be undone. They foreclose the possibility of making other choices and thus they determine future events."
MR. OBAMA'S BOW WAS A CALCULATED CONTRIVANCE DISHONORING OUR COUNTRY AND THOSE THAT PERISHED FOR OUR FREEDOM.
WE WILL NOT FORGET.
--
Patricia Anne Kelley
Posted by: Patricia Kelley | November 17, 2009 at 02:43 PM
Akihito's father, Hirohito, had blood on his hands. Remember Japan's attack and genocide on (pre-WW2) China. Remember the Death Railway in Thailand. They had no conscience in ignoring the Geneva Convention, when butchering our POWs (& civilians). All, at the behest of the emperor!
We in the West (& SE Asia) were very much at risk of losing WW2. We could all have easily ended-up as Hirohito's (& Akihito's) slaves. I'm ashamed that Hirohito was never tried for war crimes.
No bowing, Mr President. Keep this imperial family at arms' length, literally.
Ron Durham (Auckland - NZ)
Posted by: Ron Durham | November 17, 2009 at 03:08 PM
ya bowing is Asian culture, but its also culture that if you bow to an equal you don't break eye contact. so really he isn't following tradition at all.
Posted by: chris | November 17, 2009 at 03:58 PM
When you go to someone else's house, you practice their custom. I don't take off my shoes at my home, but I remove my shoes when I enter my friend's house. I don't greet everyone with a kiss, but I do when I see my family etc....I think his gestures show respect, courtesy, humility. Doing otherwise might appear arrogant, and lack of understanding of other cultures. You go Obama! We appreciate you.
Posted by: M | November 17, 2009 at 04:12 PM
I believe that President Obama did the right thing, if some American don't understand it, it's because of their lack of culture and experience in other countries.
After these comment you can easily understand why the whole world hates americans. Going to another country and not following the local accustom is a shame, if you are in America, you have to follow american's accustom, means none because of the lack of historical cultural background.
Anyway I'll not try to convince a bunch of ignorant.
Respect is definitely something that you don't know.
Enjoy life !
Posted by: Dan kwin | November 17, 2009 at 04:31 PM
The REAL bowing done by America is being in debt to China to the the tune of $800 BILLION to finance, among things, the two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I know, a picture is worth a thousand words, etc., etc. I wonder if Mr. Malcolm or other conservative pundits will mention this fact.
Posted by: Jay | November 17, 2009 at 04:46 PM
Patricia Kelley,
Here is another list for you.
798.9 billions of dollars to CHINA
751.5 billions of dollars to JAPAN
185.3 billions of dollars to OIL EXPORTERS
132.2 billions of dollars to HONG KONG
121.8 billions of dollars to RUSSIA
and on and on......
You should study a current economics and politics.
Posted by: shirogikumaru | November 17, 2009 at 04:54 PM
If you have the power to turn the whole world into a smoking cinder with the press of a button, then you can show respect to the people you proved that very point with.
Posted by: gerald | November 17, 2009 at 05:28 PM
The truly ignorant people posting here are those who (1) call others stupid for not knowing that people in Japan bow upon introduction or (2) suggest Obama did well to bow as he did.
As a participant in a US-Japanese joint venture for nearly 20 years, I can report that bowing is important and has clearly defined nuances for the proper way to bow. There are four different ways of bowing (only three usually used nowadays) that each depend on the social status, gender or age of the person to whom you bow.
Men NEVER shake hands when they bow - they put their arms at their sides by their thighs. Sometimes, they shake hands afterwards. In the most common bow in Japan, men bow only slightly - 15 degrees at most. Bows of 45 degrees or more, like Obama's, broadcast that he is of very low social status. His bow would actually be considered embarrassing to the Emperor, which is why Jake Tapper reported that some papers in Japan did not even run the picture.
This is just another sign that the man is completely unprepared for the presidency. He fails to address domestic crises in the job market and Afghanistan but roams the globe bowing and scraping to world leaders while bringing home no agreements on key issues, nor concessions from Iran or Korea, nor support from our allies against terrorism.
What chumps we were to elect him.
Posted by: Donna | November 17, 2009 at 05:32 PM
How Mr. Obama greeted the Emporer of Japan certainly reflects our President's self confidence which he must have felt at the time. It shows that he must felt that as the Head of our great nation, he was big enough and confident enough to treat the elder statesman or head of another nation with deep respect without regard to what others think. To most outside of the western world, this is the right thing to do. To do the right thing at all time, no matter what it is and how it appears to others is the mark of a Great Person.
Posted by: KSL | November 17, 2009 at 05:40 PM
His bow was irrelevant. He was trying to be diplomatic and polite, but it backfired. Obama deeply worries me because he wants socialism and open borders with a very dangerous third world country. Who cares that he bowed improperly? He is destroying this country with his dangerous third world agenda.
Posted by: Mark | November 17, 2009 at 05:44 PM
One more embarrassing blunder of our president for all the world to see, yet, his mainstream media continually gives him a pass.....disgusting!
Posted by: knaup | November 17, 2009 at 05:49 PM
The division of opinions appears to be between those who are refined, respectful of others and those who think we should be arrogant and feel self-important. One way of thinking will make us great and the other will bring us down. For the eight years during the previous presidency, our nation was definately heading in the wrong direction. I have hope that with this President, we can avert being brought down by our own arrogance.
Posted by: Glen Higashida | November 17, 2009 at 05:50 PM
Chris, whether Obama is equal to the Emporer is debatable. However, you'll find that most Asians don't keep eye contact when bowing. Would you not think it cloying to bow while looking up everytime you greet a friend?
Posted by: Nguyen | November 17, 2009 at 06:06 PM
Sorry dudes - Japan owns your arse. Barack was bowing as low as needed to make sure they'd extend a little more credit. You should've sent Madoff, he's got some change hidden somewhere.
Posted by: Root User | November 17, 2009 at 06:10 PM
Hummmmmm....who won the war????????????
Posted by: Tom | November 17, 2009 at 06:13 PM
"I'm sorry...but the AMERICAN HEAD OF STATE SHOULD NOT BOW TO ANY OTHER HEAD OF STATE"
Ummm yes they should...and Bush (GW) has on several occasions in addition to kissing and holding hands with the King of Saudi Arabia.
More righties sprouting falsehoods and proving they know absolutely nothing.
Posted by: Patrick | November 17, 2009 at 06:13 PM
While in the Air Force I lived in Japan for a total of six years. Bowing as a greeting is their custom just as shaking hands (less sanitary) is a Western custom. This is not something to be blown out of proportion. When in Japan.....do as the Japanese do. That includes not wearing filthy street shoes inside a home. The Japanese have their own issues...they are far more prejudiced than Americans...unbelievably so, especially toward Blacks. It must be driving them nuts to see an American President who is a mixed race guy. But, then even one of their Prime Ministers, a few years ago (before their economy crashed....when everybody was saying, 'the 21'st Century is the Japanese Century'), commented America would never be great as it is a nation of mixed blood mongrels. Surprise! Surprise!
Posted by: Rick | November 17, 2009 at 06:19 PM
OBAMA IS THE BEST PRESIDENT EVER!!!
There is nothing wrong with showing respect. You idiots are acting like he is giving America away or something by a simple bow. Childish!
Posted by: Jimmy | November 17, 2009 at 06:20 PM
please,
everyone, keep whining about our president and trying to find things to complain about. you're stuck with him and he is a GREAT president, a nice contrast to the previous monkey that was in office.
plus, since when is it a crime to follow another country's social customs? oh lets impeach him if he speaks another language, he's in cahoots with terrorists! let's have him beheaded if he does anything to show respect to another country! lordy lordy! the sky is falling the sky is falling.
all of you be quiet and get your panties out of the huge collective wad they seem to be in.
Posted by: lolatyou | November 17, 2009 at 06:22 PM
Patricia Kelley, it was Franklin Delano Roosevelt who was President at the beginning of WWII, not Theodore Roosevelt. Teddy was around at the turn of the twentieth century. Regardless, good post!
shirogikumaru, the items you listed...is this why Obama is bending over and kissing arse? I would prefer he turn around and bend over, showing his butt to the Chinese Premiere. To the Japanese Emperor, he should have said..."Watch this, I can do the moonwalk."
This entire debate is sort of silly. We have the libs who love every one of Barry's moves. We have the con's who despise every move Barry does. Life and politics has always been like this, and will always be like this.
My final thought is that Barry was telling the Emperor, "I'm magic, rub my head and you get three wishes."
Have a great evening, BenDover
Posted by: BenDover | November 17, 2009 at 06:23 PM
C'on guys, what's all this discussion about. Obama is a young cultured person and just bowed a little to an old king. What's all this fuss about!!!
Posted by: Nick..J.. | November 17, 2009 at 06:24 PM
Half those pics were either before or after the "bow", which btw is a handshake to you and me. I think we have all seen what 8 years of ignorant cowboy got us. And don't think every CEO in the US bows their bones off to the Japanese ...
I like the same folks who are blasting Michelle for "touching" the queen want to forget manners and flip off the Japanese essentially. Why even bother to go if you just go to p888 them off so inbreds can get their jollies?
Posted by: In the closet | November 17, 2009 at 06:26 PM
It's traditional that Americans show no concern or respect for other cultures when abroad, but stringently demand it for all visitors to their own country. the history of this is long and tedious.
Having actually been overseas, I can say it is absolutely correct, most of us are oblivious to local customs and practices and make no attempt to follow them. But a man speaks Spanish or Arabic in America, or wears a turban, and we're up in arms?
In Asia, it is correct to bow, always has been and always will be. Our leader doing so makes us look less like arrogant rednecks (aka Republicans), than we really are. This is bad?
Sorry folks, the perception of the rest of the world does matter.
Posted by: hbruno | November 17, 2009 at 06:27 PM
I believe President Obama did the correct thing and that was to bow. President Obama was in Emperor Akihito's country and hence he should bow to show respect. If Emperor Akihiko comes to the U.S. I don't think the bow would be necessary since the meeting is taking place in our country. It was in NO way a sign of who or what country has more power. It's nice to see that our President is cultured and polite and I'm glad that the eyes of the World get to see that.
We have enough hatred and disrespect going on in this world. Way to go Mr. President.
Posted by: Kimo | November 17, 2009 at 06:28 PM
America should drop atomic bombs to Japan, NEVER bow to them!
Posted by: KI | November 17, 2009 at 06:29 PM
Inexperience rears its ugly head - again and again and again and ... but that is what you get when you elect people who run their mouths for a living. The cult of personality always has a cost, a cost all too often too high. Yhe good news is that, in this case, it doesn't matter. Obama just looks stupid. No loss.
Posted by: RUKidding | November 17, 2009 at 06:31 PM
"Keep your friends close and your friends closer."
Not one of you nay sayers have any idea how to gently manipulate other people to gain what you want. I sure wouldn't want any of you as a "ruler" of even the tiniest village. Unless it was a population of 1.
The man is brilliant for attempting to win over nations with something as simple as a body gesture.
Posted by: BowWowWowYippeYiYippeeYay | November 17, 2009 at 06:32 PM
You can't stop wondering where some people went or go to school!. Bowing is a sign of respect in most Asian cultures take it or leave it President Obama showed the right manners or respect while in Japan. Atleast no one was there to throw shoes at him !!!
Posted by: Pedeen | November 17, 2009 at 06:32 PM
The bone headed right wing Obama haters must be frothing with anger regarding this bow, after all courtesy, is so un- American.
Showing respect is standing tall Sally, and MacAuthur was a hero and a egomaniac, as the photo so aptly illustrates.
Posted by: Bob Rowell | November 17, 2009 at 06:33 PM
ALL RIGHT ..AIR JORDANS....
Posted by: marty1234 | November 17, 2009 at 06:34 PM
The ignorance of my fellow Americans astounds me! I'm of Vietnamese decent and I would have been embarrassed if Obama did NOT bow! Much of Asian culture is based on the hierarchy of age. You ALWAYS show you elders respect. You WILL greet them appropriately and that means bowing in Japanese culture.
To do less would be a sign of disrespect. Not to mention, Obama is the guest and the Emperor the host. As far as I know, it’s common courtesy to properly greet your host in every culture. That means bowing in Japan.
If I was the Emperor and Obama did not bow, I instantly would have thought less of him due to a lack of respect and lack of knowledge of my culture and rituals. I’ve traveled a far amount internationally and it completely embarrasses me when I see other Americans that are completely ignorant of the local customs. Furthermore, they show absolutely no sensitivity to them. And you wonder why people around the world hate Americans?
Posted by: Sam | November 17, 2009 at 06:34 PM