Meet and greet › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

REUTERS/Jim Young

Saturday 14th November, 12:47 PM JST

U.S. President Barack Obama bows to Emperor Akihito upon arriving at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Saturday. Obama had lunch with the emperor and Empress Michiko, with only an interpreter attending, according to the Imperial Household Agency.

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 146 Total Comments Show All

bushlover at 04:11 AM JST - 15th November

I guess Obama knows a superior when he sees one. He has some perception of reality.
paolo27th at 04:17 AM JST - 15th November

what a ridiculously stupid comment

Not by any ,means. Foreigners are outsiders and are not supposed to bow. Especially since they dont understad how it works, as Obama clearly shows. His bow is so deep it looks more like hes making fun of the emperor than anything else.
Wolfpack at 05:15 AM JST - 15th November

Obama should have gone ahead and pulled out his knee pads while he was down there.
UrbaneCougar at 05:39 AM JST - 15th November

[Obama should have bowed first and shook hands after in normal fashion. Nothing wrong with showing respect to other countries greeting cultures.]

I agree. But ... President Obama likely was expecting that the hosts would give him a wedgies while he bowed? Barack and Michelle Obama love getting that trick pulled on them!

Are there more photos that might show what happened next? Just curious.
sonnoujoui at 06:18 AM JST - 15th November

Are there more photos that might show what happened next? Just curious.

The next thing that happens is that he greets the Emperess, but only with a slight bow.
tokyotom at 06:29 AM JST - 15th November

kowtow
koneko22 at 07:10 AM JST - 15th November

I agree...bow first..second shake hand....at least he didn't kiss his hand, like he did in the Middle East.....Where was Mrs. Obama..the First Lady ???
mindovermatter at 09:06 AM JST - 15th November

BurakuminDes Mr. Obama - who is the ELECTED President of the United States - should NOT be bowing to this old bloke in the photo by the name of akihito.

Good point, and I whole-heartedly agree, I think Mr.Obama is only doing it out of diplomacy, as opposed to George Dubya, who would probably expect the Emperor to kiss his hand... But I do think he needs to realize that while he may think that it's a good thing to be as diplomatic and courteous as humanly possible, at the same time, he needs to realize that his actions are on behalf of America. In this instance, I do think a polite hand-shake would have more than sufficed.

But I still like the Macarthur photo with Hirohito.... That really says it all.... Wasn't much of a General, but he sure knew how to play politics.
sonnoujoui at 09:19 AM JST - 15th November

Mr. Obama - who is the ELECTED President of the United States - should NOT be bowing to this old bloke in the photo by the name of akihito.

Silly statement. It doesnt matter if Akihito was elected. He is the emperor of Japan. The big majority of the Japanese are quite happy that he represents Japan as the emperor. If Obama is lucky, then maybe half of the americans want him to be their president, while the others think he's probably the devil. Akihito was the Emperor of Japan long before Obama and I wouldnt be so surprised if Akihito is still Emperor when Obama isnt president anymore.
Jbizzle at 01:24 PM JST - 15th November

Most of you guys really need to get lives. He showed respect for the emperor. So what?!? Move on...I know he has.
pathat at 01:53 PM JST - 15th November

SushiSake:

"Sorry, I sense underlying racism...."

(X2)

You should take President Obama's recent advice and not jump to conclusions.

sonnoujoui:

"The big majority of the Japanese are quite happy that he represents Japan as the emperor.'

Most Japanese rarely think about the Emperor outside of the end of the year when he has his birthday and New Year's when he makes his second grand apperarance in little over a week behind bullet-proof glass to wave at some thousands of people.

"But I still like the Macarthur photo with Hirohito.... That really says it all.... Wasn't much of a General, but he sure knew how to play politics."

mindovermatter: He held all the cards in dealing with Emperor Hirohito, but failed miserably at U.S. politics-from the 1948 presidential election to getting fired by Truman for not respecting the ultimate civilian authority over the U.S. military.

In the end, all this says to me is that U.S. President Barack Obama will be popular in many parts of the world, but he should pay much more attention to what is going on in the U.S. I see a failed presidency along the lines of the one of Jimmy Carter, which will be almost unavoidable with his poor decision-making along nearly all lines, and once his Democratic party gets trounced in mid-term elections next year.

I guess I should wish Emperor Akihito a long life as a fellow human being, but it will be interesting to see the imperial succession circus after he passes away.
DenDon at 07:33 PM JST - 15th November

Foreigners are outsiders and are not supposed to bow. Especially since they dont understad how it works, as Obama clearly shows.

nonsense
Sarge at 11:06 PM JST - 16th November

Obama wasn't bowing - he thought he saw a one yen coin on the floor and bent over to pick it up, because it's worth more than the U.S. dollar now, hee hee!
Max1984 at 10:41 PM JST - 18th November

I just figured he was showing the Emperor the knot on his head he got from not ducking in the doorway. Aki seems to think it's pretty funny...
Blue_Tiger at 05:20 PM JST - 20th November

No other world leader has bows to the Emperor, why should the President of the USA?