Bowing in Japan - Japanese Etiquette Explained
First of all, I'd like to share the Japanese tradition of bowing as described by Wikipedia:
"Bowing (o)jigi (お辞儀, おじぎ), (o-)rei (お礼), is probably the feature of Japanese etiquette that is best-known outside Japan. Generally speaking, an inferior bows longer, more deeply and more frequently than a superior. A superior addressing an inferior will generally only nod the head slightly, while some superiors may not bow at all and an inferior will bend forward slightly from the waist.
Bows of apology tend to be deeper and last longer than other types of bow. They tend to occur with frequency during the apology, generally at about 45 degrees with the head lowered and lasting for at least the count of three, sometimes longer. The depth, frequency and duration of the bow increases with the sincerity of the apology and the severity of the offense."
With the buzz about our U.S. President bowing to the Japanese Emperor today...I wonder whether Obama bowed as an inferior or as an apology? Look at the difference of these photographs of him bowing to the Emperor and the Empress:
Obama bows to the Japanese Emperor and Empress (AFP/File/Mandel Ngan)
Edit: I added these videos on 11/17/2009.
The most popular page on the web right now (according to Alexa) is this article by Yahoo! News:
Outrage in Washington over Obama's Japan Bow
WASHINGTON (AFP) – News photos of President Barack Obama bowing to Japan's emperor have incensed critics here, who said the US leader should stand tall when representing America overseas.
Obama on Monday was in China, having wrapped up the Japan leg of his Asia trip two days earlier. But Washington's punditocracy was still weighing whether or not the US president had disgraced his country two days earlier by having taken a deep bow at the waist while meeting Japan's Emperor Akihito.
Political talk shows have played and replayed the moment from the second day of Obama's week-long Asia tour, which set the blogosphere on fire and chat show tongues wagging.
"I don't know why President Obama thought that was appropriate. Maybe he thought it would play well in Japan. But it's not appropriate for an American president to bow to a foreign one," said conservative pundit William Kristol speaking on the Fox News Sunday program, adding that the gesture bespoke a United States that has become weak and overly-deferential under Obama.
Another conservative voice, Bill Bennett, said on CNN's "State of the Union" program: "It's ugly. I don't want to see it."
"We don't defer to emperors. We don't defer to kings or emperors. The president of the United States -- this coupled with so many apologies from the United States -- is just another thing," said Bennett.
Some conservative critics juxtaposed the image of Obama with one of former US vice president Dick Cheney, who greeted the emperor in 2007 with a firm handshake but no bow.
"I'll bet if you look at pictures of world leaders over 20 years meeting the emperor in Japan, they don't bow," Kristol said.
Some said the gesture was particularly grating coming after Obama's bow to Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah at a G20 meeting in April.
The US president's Asia trip comes just over a year after he won election to the White House, and is designed to shore up US power in a region increasingly dominated by rising giant China.
But back home, Obama's bow in Japan seems to have grabbed much of the attention being paid to the trip.
The gesture appears to have touched a particularly raw nerve among Obama critics who said the president has hastened America's decline as a world superpower by being too apologetic and too deferential in his dealings with other world leaders.
While most of the commentary about the bow in Japan was decidedly negative, some political observers, like longtime Democratic activist Donna Brazile, came to the president's defense.
"I think it's a gesture of kindness," she told CNN, adding that the bow appeared intended to show "goodwill between two nations that respect each other."
Meanwhile, an unnamed, senior Obama administration official told the Politico.com news site that the president had simply been observing protocol.
"I think that those who try to politicize those things are just way, way, way off base," the official told Politico.
"I don't think anybody who was in Japan -- who saw his speech and the reaction to it, certainly those who witnessed his bilateral meetings there -- would say anything other than that he enhanced both the position and the status of the US, relative to Japan," Politico wrote.
"It was a good, positive visit at an important time, because there's a lot going on in Japan."
BOB & LEILANI SOUZA
Real Estate Investment Specialists
Southwest Placer County, CA
Bob Souza - 925.513.3400 - bob@souzarealty.com
Leilani Souza - 916.408.5500 - leilani@souzarealty.com
FORECLOSURES : TRUSTEE'S SALE AUCTIONS : INVESTMENTS
LOTS AND LAND : PROPERTY MANAGEMENT : RENTALS
Roseville : Rocklin : Lincoln : Loomis : Granite Bay
Auburn : Newcastle : Penryn : Meadow Vista
SEARCH CALIFORNIA FORECLOSURES FOR FREE:
Copyright © 2002-2012 Souza Realty | All Rights Reserved | DRE #01262541
Hi Bob, I thought it was more a sign of respect. The constant negative criticism comes mostly from those who managed to put our international reputation in the tank. Obama has done more to restore the U.S. in the eyes of the world than anyone in the last 8 years.
Really, Bill? I think if it was truly a sign of respect, the actions would have been mutual...and they weren't. Why do you think the Japanese Emperor didn't bow back? Perhaps it is because he doesn't feel inferior towards the U.S. President or he doesn't feel he needs to express an apology on behalf of Japan. :)
We can agree to disagree about your last sentence...I think he's done nothing but belittle Americans and apologize for us in front of other world leaders.
Leilani
EDIT: Bill, I'd really like to know your opinion of the YouTube videos I added above.
Leilani- I doubt any of our presidents would bow like this, I thought obama knew the ways of the world unlike the "cowboy president"?
I agree, Larry. All of our other Presidents acted in a respectable and dignified manner befitting a U.S. President and did not bow down to any other world leader, just like the way the Emperor and Empress conducted themselves as respectable and dignified Japanese royalty by NOT bowing down to Obama...even in return to his deep bow.
Leilani
A slight bow I would overlook, but why does he look like he wants to kiss his feet. Good Grief!
That was only one bow. The deepest one. He looked like he was bobbing he made so many of them - reminded me of an old Charlie Chan movie where #2 son is always bowing - Ah So, Ah so. It's embarrassing and no American President is inferior to any other head of state.
Heck Ole Queen Liz just got a pat on the back.
I know, Bob...I know...
Bonnie, I haven't seen the live footage, but from the way you describe it...goodness gracious! Oh, and I think he disrespected Queen Elizabeth.
Leilani
I'd like to share this e-mail I received via Active Rain regarding this blog post:
You've received a contact message from your Contact Form on the ActiveRain network.
Message details:
From: Nadja Adolf
Email: yakimabelle@yahoo.com
Subject: Obama's bow major breach of etiquette (Sent via Activerain)
There are some lovely photographs of other world leaders meeting the Emperor; it is noteworthy that as a rule they do not bow and if they do bow it is a very shallow movement.
For those with any exposure to Japanese culture, the smile on the Emperor's face is a clear sign of confusion at the President's behavior.
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/11/obamas_botched_bow.html
Leaders of states as a rule do not bow to leaders of other states unless they are bowing to a suzerain. Rather than showing "respect" for local customs, the end result of bows to King Abdullah and Emperor Akihito is to confirm the notion that Americans are rude, crude, and primitive. It doesn't create warmer friendships with other nations - it simply comes off as being too arrogant to learn proper etiquette.
As a Muslim, I can tell you that bowing to King Abdullah was not only a breach of etiquette; but an insult to both local religious traditions and tribal traditions. In Saudi one does not bow to any human being - one bows only to God. The Wahhabi are very serious about that matter and bowing to the King is offensive.
I love this blog. I am reblogging it.
Well, I'm not a president and I don't bow to anyone but my God. Is that arrogance on my part? NO. I just don't believe in this whole sovereignty crap. No human is any better than another.
I would treat any vagrant just as respectful as I would a King or Queen and neither requires bowing.
THANK YOU, Kevin...glad you like my blog post! :)
Cheri', I agree...all men are created equal. :)
Leilani