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.

(UPDATE: Here's a new video assembled by some clever College Republicans at the University of Connecticut. It's even got music and requires no explanation.

-- 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).

Comments

[alan]

The saddest thing out of this all is to read such hateful comments on this article.

Regardless of how you feel towards his actions, no matter how angry you may be, do the harder thing and be civil.

[chris f.]

To those who claim his bowing was merely an act of respect and culturally appropriate, they are ignorant of the fact that Obama, unfortunately, is a head of state. It is NOT appropriate for someone in his position to bow to any other foreign head of state regardless of their culture. They, like our president, obviously don't understand diplomatic protocol. Obama's lack of knowledge in this area only confirms his narcissitic and ego-centric personality. A wise diplomat would have investigated the proper etiquette before making the trip. It is these types of blunders that affirm his incompetence and his inadequately representing the greatest nation on earth. Aside from his support of terrorist nations and his traitorous domestic policies, he is an embarrassment to every American whether they know it or not.

[Ryan Meyer]

This is unbelievably trite. I can't fathom how an army of idiots gets so angry over this talking point.

We have real problems. Like endless wars, an economy which may *never* recover, and a populace growing discontent and downright stupid.

Let's focus on those. OK thanks.

[Marko Koukkula]

OH DEAR! Obama showed respect to the another head of state!
Send in the marines!

I quess that all powerful god-president of US of A cant show respect to anyone.
I pity you americans, i pity you...

[Mike]

Sandra grow up. It was a sign of Respect to an ally who has been footing part of the bill in Iraq and Afghanistan. Grow up people. Its called respect and politeness you all would do well to learn some.

You want people to stop attacking us but you want the president to be arrogant too. Wow ...

[artfullydodged]

these are some of the most ignorant comments ive ever read, its straight up embarrassing.

[CWH]

Hay Frederico França:

Apparently you know nothing about international diplomacy or how governments and their official representatives are to greet each other. Yes, you are correct, We are all equal in the eyes of God. But Obama was not meeting God. He was meeting an official of another country and to boot the Emperor is not even the head of the Japanese Government. The matter of the President of the USA bowing to royalty just isn't done. Our country was established on the basis of complete rejection of a class system of royalty, i.e. wherein one being is in a higher class merely by birth. Bowing to royalty by the commoner is a jester which is done in recognition of the superiority of royalty over the commoners.

I agree with your statement that all men are created equal. So that alone says that one bowing to anyone should not be done especially on a level when Heads of State greet one-in-other wherein a bow to royalty has always meant the recognition of the superior standing of that royal person. Since they are all equal none should be bowing at all. Did you see the Japanese Emperor bow to Obama? Did the Saudi Prince bow to Obama? Of course not. And it is completely out of step for any US President to bow to anyone regardless of what you think a bow represents.

Yes, a bow between friends is merely a greeting gesture, but between heads of state it has far different implications. You need to better understand what the USA is about and what our values are. You as Obama do not have a clue of what American values are.

As for do we own the world? Of course not but we should since we have paid for it over and over with international aid to almost every noteworthy country in existence today. Unfortunately because of our military, political and economic standing in the world our leaders seemingly have felt responsible for being the primary policemen of the world in trying to keep the peace and help the less fortunate countries survive. And our nation is spending hundreds of billions of dollars in this role. No other country has even given so much to help other countries remain free and safe. In fact if you would total up the cost of what the US has done in post WWII Europe in relation to what all the other industrialized countries have done, the USA has be far given the highest amount of financial aid.

Obama by his actions and speeches has repeatedly shown himself not to be an American who fully embraces American moral, religious, and patriotic values.

Your attitude about Obama's actions is one of the reasons that the USA is on its way to becoming just another Third World Nation. People such as you are the cause of this. Hope you feel good about it and that you and your children live to see how bad you have caused the USA to be.

[Jeanne]

Bowing is a social salutation in Japan. What's the big deal? Obama's a diplomat at heart and he's showing respect not only to the Emperor but to Japanese culture.

[j ski]

Were already bowing to Japan to the tune of 751.5 billion of debt.....

[Jonathan Brown]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading alot . I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often. Thanks ...

[Non US Journalist]

As another jounrlaist, allow me to stress that I'm non-USA citizen and I'm very produc of it, the reasons of which I shall state later on, I'm bemused to read the comments of people and sad Americans are so stupid. By stupid Americans I refer here to whoever wrote this article here and to whoever edited it and whoever allowed this to be published. Simply, and obviously in a very ugly way, the write didn't do his reasearch and did more than bad job, not even close to calling it journalism. Ahoy to to the savers of America, Japan and China with their massive foreign reserve holdings, financing YOUR debt-ridden life.

[Erich Riesenberg]

CWH states opinions, not facts. Annoying.

[Preston]

Who cares if he bowed.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower bowed to Charles de Gaulle (France) and President Richard Milhous Nixon bowed to Emperor Hirohito (Japan).

The haters don’t let the facts get in the way, they believe the lies they want to believe but the reality is that the facts stay constant.

[Brian]

Nicely done. I can't tell if any other dignitaries bowed to the emperor because they would have been edited out for this piece, but to me, I like Obama's approach. We are entering a new era with Obama and I think he is taking the right tack. For the entire post-WWII era we have been the big boy on the block and could dictate the terms of any deal. But times have changed significantly and we aren't alone now. We won't be able to dictate the terms of the deal for the rest of the world anymore. Instead of bullying, we'll need to practice diplomacy and work-out the terms with others. When third world countries like Pakistan and Iran have nuclear weapons, it's clear to me that "the times they are a changin'". Kudos to Obama for being ahead of the curve. As for the college kids at Connecticut, they'll get it about 10 years later when their brains are fully formed.

[Syd1616]

Bowing to the emperor shows deference to him as a superior. If it were considered a mere polite gesture or protocol the emperor would have bowed back...considering no other countrie's leader has bowed to him (or any past presidents of the U.S.) one would hope people would have the common sense to realise that our president executing a bow (especially such a low one) to another leader does indeed symbolize more than mutual respect for a PEER. It is symbolic of saying you are my superior and I respect you as such. Honestly, some people would find any way they can around any thing at all to defend him even when the mistake is painfully obvious...I literally feel sick to my stomach.

[Christina]

this issue here is not Obama, it's the ignorant people of America who are freaking out over this. Let me get this out there, I am American, and I am not an extreme supporter of Obama either, but this article, and most of the comments on it, just sickens me to read.

In Japan, it is a sign of respect to bow to ANYONE when meeting them. (A lower bow, the more respect.) It's good manners, and polite to do so. Obama is not making the United States "inferior" to Japan by doing this, he is showing that he is aware of other countries' customs, instead of just focusing on his own, and ignoring the rest of the world.

What he did was completely appropiate. Unless you feel that Japan does not deserve any respect, (which clearly it does. please do not say otherwise because then there will be a whole new issue on hand) then don't freak out over something as little as this. Put your energy into something more important please, if you must be so "righteous"

and as for the comment "Why didn't he bow to the Queen of England?" simple. Bowing is not the traditional greeting in England. (Shaking hands, like in America, for example, is more traditional there.) It's not because she is white and/or a women. this is no reason to impeach Obama... please don't be so ignorant.

[marty1234]

The only time id want to see an american president bend over like that would be President Palin in a mini skirt...

[yo]

wat is the matter bowing!! people who like to comment need to learn culture more culture.....no big deal or issue.the black know how to respect other people ,did the white people know that!

[CL]

Wow, the US is really a polarised country.
I am saddened, but perhaps not surprised by many of the uninformed posts on this board. It is amazing how many people actually think this bow is a sign of weakness and subordination. What, did this bow crash Down Jones, wiping out wealth? Did this bow destroy the US military superiority? Did this bow result in Japanese people looking down upon the US?

The US is a great country, but it is not the ONLY great countries on this planet. Treating everyone with respect is not an admission of inferiority. You don't want to that bully in school who is perhaps the strongest but is hated by everyone.
To those who say that Japan fought with the US during WWII and killed lots of Americans, undoubtedly true. But unless you don't buy anything Japanese (Sony, Panasonic, Toyota, etc, and I haven't started on parts yet) you have really no right to be on your high horses.

[ResidentPlazaPunchbowl]

On september 27, 1945, in the American Embassy. Tokyo, General MacArthur met Emperor Hirohito for the first time since Japan's formal surrender aboard the USS Missouri. Hirohito had been summoned by Macarthur. The photo of this occasion showed MacArthur with both hands on his hips while Hirohito stood small, stiffly and uncomfortably along side. This more than anything else showed Japan's utter defeat. However, the Japanese detected a benevolence in MacArthur and they were correct. MacArthur's subsequent handling of Hirohito's status and role in Japan's post-war recovery and consistent pro-American posture is a stunning legacy that remains to this day.
Fast forward to November 14, 2009, and we see a younger President Obama bowing deeply and properly to the older Emperor and Empress of Japan. Except for the handshake (which was probably initiated by the Emperor) the POTUS is flawless and is thus recognized by most Japanese who appreciate this gesture (except the Japan Communist Party and some protocol purists who quibble about the degree of bow and the handshake). Some older Japanese see the historic irony of MacArthur's manner with Emperor Hirohito in 1945 and Obama's with the son Akihito in 2009.
President Obama's manner also signify to Japan his understanding that the election of Yukio Hatoyama as the new Prime Minister indicate the need for mutually respectful role in future Japanese-American relations. This is especially so with the toppling of the old guard Liberal Democratic Party by the "new and liberal" Democratic Party of Japan and Hatoyama's vision of a new asia patterned after the European Union. Hatoyama has a Phd in Industrial Engineering from Stanford and Obama already calls him Yukio. Let us have less nationalistic jingoism and more thoughtful discussions shall we?

[lic girl]

Japan's emperor is not a head of the state, he is a symbol of the state and the unity of Japanese people. It is defined in Japanese constitution created by MacArthur. I perceived Obama's bow as an indication of his attitude of respect other cultures. In fact, he didn't bow to the PM Hatoyama who is a political leader of Japan.

[Johnny G]

Why does obama respect their customs yet shows no regards for ours?

[Alley B.]

Is there really something wrong with showing RESPECT while in someone elses country?
So we Americans are really that pig headed that we are unable to RESPECT other people's customs. This is ridiculous, instead of focusing on him bowing as a sign of RESPECT we should be focusing on what he was there to accomplish.

[Richard J Gieser]

A lot of people here are very stubborn, and naive. Read about nationalism. Take notice to arrogant egotism. Americans fight for peace, liberty, and democracy. They do not fight for a flag.

[redhawk]

What will Obama do next???? Bend low enough to shime shoes of Foreign dignitaries and provide the world with more Laughable jestures????

[scheng1]

It's good that Obama shows respect for the culture of Japan by respecting the Emperor.
I guess the Emperor of Japan must be very embarrassed by this incident as well. He offered his hands too early. If he had known that Obama would bow respectfully, he would have waited before offering to shake hands.

[Ben]

There is nothing more powerful than showing respect and humility.

[christine kelly]

This comment is regarding Anand Jon Alexander, who was sentenced for rape on Sept. 1, 2009. I am one of the women that went to New York to see him and I can tell you from reading all of the testimonies from his trial that everything is true. I hope that he has enough time in jail to think about the things that he has done to all of those inocent women. His family believes he is innocent but I doubt that seriously.

[markdshark]

Lived & worked, spoken Japanese 25 yrs. You bow like this in Japanese for only two reasons: 1) as a PRIVATE citizen meeting someone of greater station (such as the Emperor, who does not need to return the bow); 2) as a business person seeking patronage of a prospective client (who will immediately return the bow so as not to be in your debt). Leaders of nations do not bow this way to anyone, unless they are from occupied countries or client states. And even when they were occupied you never saw the Emperor of Japan bow to any leader, because of the message of inferiority it sends to the folks at home. Another example of why smart people make terrible leaders--- so busy proving they are the smartest people in the room that they do stupid things. Check out the dumbfounded looks on the other leaders in the picture as Obama bows to King Abdullah. They think this guy has totally lost it. Obama is Jimmy Carter's second term. Enjoy it while it lasts, apologists, because it never does.

[Artie]

You will notice that the Emperor is NOT bowing. In Japan, the person who bows lowest is the one of inferior status. By making such a low bow the President is making a statement that he is socially inferior to the Emperor. He should not be bowing at all! Where are the President's advisers? They should be sacked!

[Jon]

Other presidents have done like wise--this bow is the correct bow. One needs to respect another country customs just as women as Condolezzi Rice wore a scarf's over head in Islam countries and even female reporters do this. Nixon also bowed and he is always credited with good relations in China.

Why must Americans critics be stupid and crude or be sure to show they are. Americans need to shut up and show some respect for their own leaders let alone others but they are too ignorant and have none.

[Gregg]

See, if Obama was President, we never would have had to fight WWII. A submissive U.S. president, that’s all Japan really wanted.

[evelyn]

Why don't they review these photos before deciding what to have the President do? That would save everyone embarrassment. Even people who supported Obama quite seriously cringe when they see this sort of thing. Who is preparing him for these encounters? That person should be fired - fast!

[Roelof]

As a Canadian living in the U.S, I have spent considerable time learning American politics, and through dialogue, trying to get a sense of what the 'beat on the street' looks like. There are many progressive, smart people who understand where the U.S is at and where it needs to go to remain relevant. There are also many folks who don't get it, they are lost in an American religion that is twisted and perverse. (and this is coming from me, a conservative Christian). The mix between "christianity" and politics is scary (think Pat Robertson et al). I love the U.S and its people...but if you want the world to take you seriously again, Obama is the right man to do it. He understands what he is doing, even in bowing...it is not submission, it is respect. The U.S can no longer do whatever they want...a little humility is needed, as well as respect for others.

[Jeff Ellis]

What sickens me is the fact that people can not understand that out of respect for the leader of any country, anyone should adhere to the proper guidelines of respect for them.

You Bow to the Emporer of Japan. That is how it is, that is how it has always been. He is a living Deity to the Japanese people, and he deserves the respect from a lowly citizen. If a leader of another country meets him, The leader of that country should give the Emporer the respect he deserves, and the Emporer shoudl return the same to the leader of the othe rcountry.

It's not that hard to understand, If the emporer of Japan came to Amerieca, he would give President Obama a welcome handshake and whatever else he owes to him, but President Obama himself would understand the respect he needs to return to another leader.

It's the duty of anyone to give the respect to everyone. That way, we show that we are no better than them, and that we respect them as well.

America is not in charge of the world, Japan is not either. Nobody is. It's respect that is being given, and respect that is deserved.

We need to work together and give the deserved respect to everyone so we can gain their cooperation to solve what is fast becoming a world epidemic of economic hardship.

I would hop that anyone reading this would have the understanding to bow to the Emporer of Japan as deeply as you possibly can.

[Michelle]

Bowing aught not to be interpreted as a sign of weakness, rather one of respect. And since when was one man more important than another. That isn't very biblical people.

[Kishani]

"We are America, we bow to no one!" Really? Is that necessary? Do we really have our head's so far up our own ***** that we have to take the idea of "pride" to a whole new level?

It would seem so... I see more and more people going on and on about how this is just so horrible that our President would dare to show anything but utter arrogance and pride.

That's what it is now... we don't have American pride, we have American Arrogance. It's disgusting.

Take your head out of your *** long enough to see that it's our arrogance that has gotten us into most of the issues we face today (both personally and as a nation.)

Perhaps it's time for a bit of humility.

[LOL]

Lol how low will he go? Better ask his wife.

[disko]

he bowed and was still taller than him

[Planner]

You've got to be kidding! Obama is merely respecting their culture. Don't be upset because he doesn't buy into white supremacy.

The man has culture, has class, cool and a breath of fresh air in the international community!

[Nicole]

What joe said,

"bowing is actually a common social gesture in most parts of Asia. that's just how they formally greet each other in Japan. the writer of this article seems to be confused with respect/courtesy and submission. Asians actually differentiate between the two clearly. when one wants to submit himself to another person, he goes down on his knees and spreads his arm unto the ground (an act called kowtowing)."

You people need to read up on things before you start complaining and misunderstanding things.

[Aaron]

I can't understand you people who look down upon Obama for bowing to the Japanese emperor.

People, learn about other countries in the world. Obama is completely correct in his greeting, and finally a President that understands other cultures. Maybe thats why America is so hated around the globe. Thats not a bow showing inferiority, its a bow of respect as one enters into another's country with a different culture. How would you like it if an Asian diplomat came to the US and turned his back at the President and talks to him without ever meeting him in the eye. Without a bow it is disrespect, and on a mission to captivate the hearts of the Japanese people, everything was done correctly and I applaud you Mr. President.

[John]

You Americans really are complete morons aren't you...

Obviously (if you have any insight into another culture but your own) there was absolutely nothing wrong with Obama's actions.

Besides that, if any head of state should bow, it's the American one; a bow to apologize for his country's complete lack of intellect.

Seriously, get your asses off your farm, put your cowboy hats away and go back to school. Hey, perhaps you can even read a book sometime (find out for yourselves how great they are, here's a good website to start you off: www.amazon.com). Have fun ^^

[Zero254]

Yeah because you guys totally have room to talk and have been a president or vice president before.

P.S. PILLZ HERE

[Zero254]

I've been to 4chan, and they are more mature than some of the "Adults" here.

[emenot]

All events of meeting is international, he should have stick to a standard friendly and sincere hand shack, after all thats what all his counterpart did! What a fool Obama is, he is shaming USA live all over the world!

[emenot]

Did anyone notice Akihito nor his wife bowed back, obama got disked in front of the whole world and shamed USA!

[Jenny]

You guys are idiots. Bowing does not show submission, it shows respect. The only reason the article writer is making fun of Obama is because he bowed WHILE shaking his hand, which is ridiculous.

[bathmate mateus]

really a wonderful blog...

Bathmate

[Tina]

Bowing is a sign of respect, NOT a sign of submission or inferiority. I am a Japanese American, and when I go to Japan, I bow because it's how to greet people. Bowing is similar to a polite hello. Just because the emperor didn't bow back doesn't mean that the emperor thinks of himself as superior. Moreover, Obama bowed and shook the emperor's hand at the same time, which may have been why the emperor chose not to bow since that would have been a redundant action (although I think it would have been nice for the emperor to bow despite already shaking hands). The people of Japan know that they heavily rely on America for many things. Honestly, it's nice to see that President Obama has respect for Japanese culture, and likewise, I like to see that the emperor does not expect other leaders to bow to him. Really, no need to read so deeply into this. This bow doesn't make me feel any inferior for being American or any superior for being Japanese.