By April MacIntyre Nov 14, 2009, 22:28 GMT
President Obama's deep bow while shaking the hand of Japan's Emperor Akihito has erupted a new wave of debate on the propriety of the act.
How to properly bow in Japan is a studied effort for Westerners.
There is of course, no reciprocal bow by the emperor, who traditionally bows to no one.
And among the older generation of Americans who might have served in the Pacific theater of World War II, the act in itself has upset many.
The effort has set off journalists and political bloggers regarding the official greeting, including Thomas Lifson's American Thinker blog, who writes his opinion: "The one thing that virtually everyone who teaches bowing etiquette stresses is under no circumstance try to combine a bow with a handshake...The Emperor appears to smile, which is something polite Japanese are taught to do when embarrassed...Obama obviously received no instruction on Imperial etiquette. I suspect the poor Emperor was so shocked by the faux pas that he just pretended it didn't happen. That is one way Japanese people deal with breaches of etiquette, especially from the powerful who are also ignorant. But the end result is that Obama has been snubbed royally. Imperially, in fact."
Cultural deference and respect saw President George Bush kissing and walking holding hands with the Saudi royals, and President Obama has been careful to show the utmost respect when visiting other countries himself. Both presidents have been soundly criticized for their official acts of greeting overseas.
How does the deep bow by President Obama sit with you? Is it too much, or just the right touch?
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