Did President Barack Obama bow the right way for Emperor of Japan?
I lived in Japan and did work there for 5 years. I also speak fluent Japanese. During my period there I did business like a regular Japanese businessman.
Bowing in Japan is not just a casual greeting. It is actually governed by a series of complex social rules and practices and that determines who you bow to and how low do you go.
In my opinion, both the Emperor Akihito and Pres. Obama are heads of states and thus equal. Obama’s handlers should have told the President that if the emperor was going to shake hands, there was no need to bow. Additionally, President Obama need not have gone so low and should have gone just as low as the emperor did.
Doing what Pres. Obama did makes it appear that he treated the Emperor and Empress Michiko with far more respect than they deserved. I think it might make some Japanese people feel a bit arrogant but in the end it might also create a lot of goodwill. And like a lot of gaijins like me who have made mistakes like this in Japan, we have also earned their love for trying too hard. In other words, no damage done. Japan is our partner and being extra-nice to your friends never hurts. I wouldn’t be surprised that the Emperor was shocked by President’s politeness and is already embarrassed.
