Did Obama overdo it when he bowed deeply to the Japanese Emperor during his recent visit? Credit for this post and photos goes to Anthony Bryant over at Samurai Archives.
There is some controversy in the States with how the President of the United States has bowed to foreign royalty, especially after he bowed deeply to the Saudi King earlier this year. I have less of a problem with the bow to the Japanese Emperor but I do think that Obama is overdoing it and the President of the United States should not be bowing the way he has. Below are some other world leaders meeting the Emperor. You be the judge.
The King of Morocco
The President should not bow to nobody. It tick me off when Obama bowed to the Saudis and now the Emperor. I am not as upset with him bowing to the Emperor, but way too low. I would not be surprised if he bowed to the the UN either.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way. I was not at all happy at that unfortunate bow to the Saudi King. I don't feel as bad about bowing to the Japanese Emperor but it was to low. Obama has gone to far in deprecating to foreign countries and apologizing for the Unites States as if the US did so many horrible things under the previous administration. That is wrong. Obama is giving in and apologizing too much and his bowing is just a symptom of that.
ReplyDeletePersonaly, I'm ok with bowing to the Heisei Emperor. Given Americas long historical intercourse with Japan over the last 165+ years our leaders shouldn't get grief over bowing. Agreeably it was all done out of respect. But in fairness, I will have to agree that Obama's bow was too low. Bowing too low implies the wrong message if done for the wrong situation. There is an etiqute to bowing. Obama might want to consider a better advisor for Japanese Customs.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a problem with the prez bowing to the Japanese Emperor either but I also think it was just way too deep of a bow.
ReplyDeleteThe Emperor is a symbolic position. It seems kind of ridiculous to visit him and then ignore protocol.
ReplyDeleteI asked the guys I eat lunch with (all Japanese) and they were all overwhelmingly positive about the bow. The handshake was a bit unnatural, but the bow was a big hit.
I don't see the problem with him bowing. A bit of cultural sensitivity goes a long way and as far as I can see costs him (and the rest of USA) nothing.
Kudos to Obama for being a world citizen even knowing he'd take a lot of crap back home for his action.
Makes USA look better too.
Thanks for the comment David. Haven't heard from you for awhile.
ReplyDeleteI see your point. I still think it didn't have to be that deep. Also, yes it is important to consider the rest of the world's opinion, but I also think Obama has been going a little too far at times. Just my opinion.
Yes, and no smart comments about the activity level of my blog either please! Have been continuing to enjoy your blog and have plans to watch some of the movies you have been reviewing.
ReplyDeleteGreat topic on this post. I hadn't realized it was a point of controversy (quick google fixed that for me.)
PS. Fall in Otawara was fantastic, though sadly nearly totally finished.
I am coming to Japan again on November 27th but I will only be there about a week.
ReplyDeleteHere's to world peace :D
ReplyDeleteHere's don't bow..
ReplyDeleteI have a difficult time with the "respect" defense. The emperor bows to nobody, but all bow to him. Ask yourself, why is this? Bowing is complicated, and who bows first, and how low, have significance. Should this respect not be mutual? Should the leader of a nation founded on the ideal that "all men are created equal" ever bow to a monarch? I don't think so.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for the comments. This sure is a hot topic.
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly with davidfromoz. From everything I've read and heard from Japanese natives, it's better to go too far with a bow than to shallow when showing respect. He understands that he's a visitor and that he is being given a special audience by the emperor, and behaves accordingly. It's Bowing 101, I believe :)
ReplyDeleteThe Saudi King bow I can't comment on because I know nothing about their cultural norms for those visits. But Obama has had the whole of the past 8 years heaped onto his shoulders, and I'm not surprised that he is taking every opportunity to try and mend the USA's reputation with foreign leaders. As an American abroad, I appreciate this.
The President is looking very weak at the moment. Too weak. The Sengoku warlords would have taken Obama to the cleaners if they saw how weak he is.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I am glad that you are heading back to Japan. Any chance to see Katen no Shiro?
Obama better be careful. With how he is handling foreign affairs, he could be fallowing the same dead end path that Jimmy Carter did. And it would be very bad for him to be compared to Jimmy Carter.
ReplyDeleteTime restrictions and lack of movie theaters where I am going will probably prevent me from see Katen no Shiro. I will have to hope it get's released here on DVD someday.
Below is from the head of The Protocol School of Washington. Admittedly this was from a the Foxnes.com, a fairly right leaning news organization.
ReplyDeletePamela Eyring, the president of The Protocol School of Washington, said that while there's no "hard-and-fast" rule, a bow is not appropriate when national leaders meet.
"They're peers. ... Unfortunately, it isn't correct for a chief of state to bow to another chief of state," she told FoxNews.com. "It's not appropriate. He should not be bowing to other chiefs of state."
She said Obama was clearly trying to show respect, but that the royal couple would not expect such a gesture from a Western leader. Eyring, who reviewed the video of the encounter, said they seemed a "bit uncomfortable" watching Obama bow.
"When you're representing the United States of America, everything speaks ... on behalf of our country," Eyring said. "It's a visual. It shows more of a subservient look."
By most accounts, it hasn't been official protocol for a U.S. president, or any American, to bow to a foreign head of state or symbolic monarch. Other heads of state and officials, like former Vice President Cheney, have greeted the Japanese emperor with a handshake -- which Eyring said is the appropriate custom.
You can always buy the book in Japan or even in LA at the Japanese bookstores. Katen no shiro by Yamamoto Kenichi. Do you plan to buy any Senoku history books? There are tons out there and many are the new academic and historical fiction.
ReplyDeleteI can't read Japanese so I doubt I would find any. But I will keep my eye open.
ReplyDeleteThis is a hot topic all over. I'm no Obama fan to be sure however, I have to agree with him on this one.
ReplyDeleteSeeing that none of the other 'World Leaders' bowed to the Emperor only shows that our President has more class than they do.
The answer here is simple. When in Rome, do what the Romans do. I know when I go to someone else' house I follow their rules.
And as far as the "being submissive" argument... One only has to say "nuclear umbrella" and "largest / most technically advanced military in the world" to see that that is not the case.
I bow low to Obaasan let alone the Emperor.... Obama should do the same. (Per the Constitution he is no greater man than I... or you.)
That's the truth and I don't care who knows it! :)
As one of native Japanese, I really want to appreciate Obama's bow. Like 真秀さん said, Obama just followed "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" in Japan. I checked Japanese news site talking about the same topic, though, almost everybody gets favorably impressed by his bowing. Also many people says that Obama has a sense of decency and respects our culture deeply. The greater man, the greater courtesy. But, I also think his bow is too low, besides, bowing and shaking hands at the same time is seemed weird to me. Anyway, I feel grateful for Obama's attitude in Japan.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'm disappointed at that our new prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, did not go to airport to see off American president. He lacks courtesy comparing with Obama.
Thank you for your comments. Good points. Yes, bowing and shaking hand at the same time is odd. It doesn't look right.
ReplyDeleteAhh.. the bow issue. I fall on the side of thinking he was just trying to be polite and follow customs. Maybe he didn't think about it too much before hand and it was just a spur of the moment thing. This would be easily understood: we all have so many stereotypes of Japan running around in our heads that we aren't really sure what to do half the time. I've seen other western people react the same when meeting a Japanese person. Kind of an awkward bow, sometimes deep sometimes not. Like most Americans, Obama probably had no idea that there are different levels of bows. Someone growing up in his generation likely just thinks.."Japanese bow... 90 degrees..got it". My parents were the same way before I informed them otherwise. Admiringly, Obama should have been better prepped on this, but I don't think we can fault him too much for just trying to be polite and show respect for the culture.
ReplyDeleteThe Emperor was clearly a bit surprised tho, I agree. If he was prepared for it, I imagine he would have returned the gesture a little better.
I think you're right Dave. Obama probably did it spur of the moment without realizing. I think it's good he bowed.
ReplyDeleteI like Obama but think he did make an obvious mistake here. US Presidents are also not supposed curtsey and kneel before the Queen of England. It is symbolic and represents allegiance to a foreign power - it goes against the foundation of the US.
ReplyDeleteThis extreme bow (maybe because of the height differences of the two leaders) reminds me of the bow taken by the US Submarine Captain expressing great remorse after the tragic incident under his command when he quick surfaced his sub under a Japanese vessel.
That is an Interesting comparison to the sub captain。Thanks James
ReplyDelete