What do people think he should have done? Given him a friendly punch in the shoulder and said: "Yo! Akihito! How's it hangin?"

After the Bush years, this kind of thing must be a bit shocking for some people, but this is how the rest of the world behaves. Giving unsolicited backrubs to foreign leaders is not considered polite, nor is slapping them on the shoulder or giving them impromptu nicknames. That kind of thing, whether you realize it or not, was seen as ranging from mildly offensive to extremely offensive by quite a lot of people.

For those of you that don't get the idea of diplomacy, let me explain:

Different cultures have different ways of doing things. Different ways of greeting, of speaking, of dining, of negotiating, and so on. There are, deep in the bowels of some government building in the capital of every nation worth its salt, people who study these things, so that when their leaders meet the leaders of other countries, they can interact with them in the correct, proper, polite way.

It's called being respectful. It's the cornerstone of diplomacy. It sets the tone for the negotiations and discussions that may follow.

Obama is bowing to the Emperor, because that's the local tradition, and anything else would be seen as an insult. It's not just the Emperor, either - greeting anyone at all warrants a bow. Likewise thanking someone, saying you're welcome, asking forgiveness, saying goodbye and quite a few other things. When I use the ATM, the little animated woman on the screen bows. People bow when talking on the phone. It's polite.

The Emperor, in turn, is shaking Obama's hand. Which is the traditional and accepted way of greeting friends and allies in the USA. It's polite, and it's reciprocal.

AT first glance I thought Mr Obama droped a contact and Mr Emperor was being kind enough to help hold Mr Obama up .

I think there might be something to the claim that this new "protocall" may have something to do with the current economical situation on the home front .

Do I think it's a big deal ? Not realy but it does seem to break with tradition .

[edit on 14-11-2009 by Max_TO]

BFD

Obama may be all talk and no action but this guy is just trying to fix the US image that is really broken. In Europe 1 out of 3 people when they see a US citizen they feel that they can avoid that person or they can say something not welcoming. That's how broken the US image is in the world.

Little modesty does not hurt, there are alot of things to be fixed for the US image. This is a positive aspect, it shows respect and modesty in a time when your country's image is totaly broken.

Broken for war, broken for bringing the economic recession plague.
It's time to show a soft spot.

Originally posted by RestingInPieces
He was obviously bowing because the emperor is one of the high officials of the intergalactic reptilian league. If he didn't bow to our reptilian overlords, they would have sucked his brains out... AND THEN WHERE WOULD WE BE?!?!

HUH???? TELL ME !!!!!

WE'D HAVE BIDEN AS PRESIDENT!!!!!

Dude, I have to admit, that I talk out of my a$$ sometimes, But your flatulence is way beyond anything I could come up with.
The Obama disrespected the Queen of England, and as I recall, your type think she is a reptoid! The Obama, kisses the butts of any denomination except Christian.

You might not know it in this day age but protocol is what civilization is all about. Manners and etiquette are rapidly disappearing from a harried, angry and self important society but there are time honored traditions that make a civilized society possible and glue it together as one.

There still exists a pecking order of sovereigns who must very much function in accordance with those dictates of tradition or encourage the societies that they head to disintegrate in chaos.

Would you really have the Japanese Emperor behave publicly in a manner that his own subjects and his nations citizens would never accept from him and still see his own authority and position in the reverent manner and spirit of fidelity, commodity and loyalty they reserve and freely give to him and it?

Why would a Royal whose duty is to fulfill a role to the society they are sovereign over grant a visiting non-Royal head of state an audience when their lack of adherence to protocol would only serve to diminish him in the eyes of his own people and gain him nothing?

Japan has a Prime Minister that is Obama’s counterpart and equivalent of rank in the protocol chain and it’s precisely defined pecking order.

Obama could have greeted the Prime Minister in any fashion of his choosing. What ever legitimate business the people of the United States have with Japan would be conducted through their prime minister and not the Emperor.

If you desire a Royal Audience you must be willing to submit to Royal Protocol unless you are a Royal of equal or greater stature.

The Japanese Emperor has no personal need to meet with Obama Japan’s Prime Minister conducts the affairs of Japan’s Government, the Emperor was doing Obama a favor by granting him an audience.

Should Obama have repaid that favor by being rude and insulting him in front of his own court and subjects and nation by failing to show proper protocol?

The Emperor in fact could have in fact had him decapitated for the insult on the spot and the only legal recourse would have been declaring war on Japan. The world is not actually one great big Wal-Mart people.

I disagree with that. The President of the United States of America should not bow to any foriegn power or authority. This is not the first time he has done such, and it is one of the worst possible things he could have done, as he is the leader of a nation. The Emporer of Japan is, like the Queen of England, a figurehead, has been since the end of World War II. I find it in bad taste and breaks every protocal that has been established by the prior adminstrations. I can see meeting with the Emperor, and talking with him, showing him respect, but to bow down like he was a citizen of the country, instead of an equal goes beyond such. And this is not the first person he has done such to and that is not something that should ever happen.

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler

The Emperor in fact could have in fact had him decapitated for the insult on the spot and the only legal recourse would have been declaring war on Japan. The world is not actually one great big Wal-Mart people.

Why are you just making up garbage? Japan is not an empire nor a monarchy.

The Emperor of Japan holds no real power since two U.S army officers wrote the whole Japanese constitution practically on their own.

The emperor is nothing but a symbolic gesture in the constitution.

The only reason, obviously, why the Emperor WOULD be able to do anything like "decapitate" Obama is because he is a shape-shifting reptilian overlord and nobody but NOBODY has the balls to cross our reptoid masters.

Originally posted by RestingInPieces

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler

The Emperor in fact could have in fact had him decapitated for the insult on the spot and the only legal recourse would have been declaring war on Japan. The world is not actually one great big Wal-Mart people.

Why are you just making up garbage? Japan is not an empire nor a monarchy.

The Emperor of Japan holds no real power since two U.S army officers wrote the whole Japanese constitution practically on their own.

The emperor is nothing but a symbolic gesture in the constitution.

The only reason, obviously, why the Emperor WOULD be able to do anything like "decapitate" Obama is because he is a shape-shifting reptilian overlord and nobody but NOBODY has the balls to cross our reptoid masters.

Actually that Constitution simply incorporated Japan into the Roman Empire but still recognized the sovereign existence of the Japanese Emperor.

He exists as a figure head to his people but he very much exists as a Prince of Rome and it's empire.

I would sooner trifle with one of your reptoids than a prince of Rome my friend.

Reptiles big and small are just as easy to crucify as humans. Get some lumber and some nails, and be sure to leave the corpse on display for others to bear witness to and serve as a warning.

I will grant you almost everyone does but trust me when I say I have no Master and would never serve a geckoid!

How low will Anti-Obama crowd go?? ...

.. well....

How disappointing. America has such a long tradition of being arrogant and disrespectful in dealing with the rest of the world... It's a shame that Obama has let down the team by ending the marathon of ignorance.

How will America ever recover from this disgusting show of respect? Maybe Bush will urinate on a foreign dignitary whilst on his speaking tour, we can only hope.

Didn't Bush held hands with some Arab dude??

C'mon you guys. He just dropped a nickel.

I mean really. You guys are just looking for Obama bashing material. Aren't you?

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler

Originally posted by RestingInPieces

Originally posted by ProtoplasmicTraveler

The Emperor in fact could have in fact had him decapitated for the insult on the spot and the only legal recourse would have been declaring war on Japan. The world is not actually one great big Wal-Mart people.

Why are you just making up garbage? Japan is not an empire nor a monarchy.

The Emperor of Japan holds no real power since two U.S army officers wrote the whole Japanese constitution practically on their own.

The emperor is nothing but a symbolic gesture in the constitution.

The only reason, obviously, why the Emperor WOULD be able to do anything like "decapitate" Obama is because he is a shape-shifting reptilian overlord and nobody but NOBODY has the balls to cross our reptoid masters.

Actually that Constitution simply incorporated Japan into the Roman Empire but still recognized the sovereign existence of the Japanese Emperor.

He exists as a figure head to his people but he very much exists as a Prince of Rome and it's empire.

I would sooner trifle with one of your reptoids than a prince of Rome my friend.

Reptiles big and small are just as easy to crucify as humans. Get some lumber and some nails, and be sure to leave the corpse on display for others to bear witness to and serve as a warning.

I will grant you almost everyone does but trust me when I say I have no Master and would never serve a geckoid!

That's funny considered your prince IS A GECKOID!!

Article 1. The Emperor shall be the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people, deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power.

Article 4. The Emperor shall perform only such acts in matters of state as are provided for in this Constitution and he shall not have powers related to government

This guy was given no powers and has been on a short leash ever since for his (its) rebellious behavior. Apparently he is the offspring of one of the amphibian type reptoids. Go figure they live on little islands in the middle of the ocean, probably so they can spawn when season comes.

Come on here people, miss the point much?

The artice said that the Emperor did not bow back! If it's just etiquette, respect, or manners, then why didnt Obama get a bow back?

Leaders of Countries dont bow to one another, especially the President of the United States who is supposedly suppose to represent our countries sovereignty. I dont care if ayone bows to our President, but I'll be d**ned if my President bows to ANYONE. Sorry for those of you who have no comprehension of this, but it's true.

BTW, what about the respect our Nation deserves? What about the respect the Presidency deserves? I thought Obama would have learned his lesson last time he pulled this stunt. Absolute idiocy.

To those of you who make light of this, I feel sorry. Every time Obama bows to Arab Kings, or Japanese Emperors, he's handing YOUR respect over to them. Leaders can show respect to one another without this. Thumbs down for Obama, once again

Originally posted by Jakes51
Bowing is intrinsically tied into Japanese culture. One bows to another out of respect to a person. There is nothing wrong with that gesture given the cultural context to that particular form of endearment.

One question,.....Did the emperor return the gesture of respect and similarly bow to Obama?

Everyone keeps saying it is just a matter of culture and showing respect, but if so, why was the gesture not reciprocated?

Edited to acknowledge that Treemanx asked the same question in the previous post. I really wish Obama would explain his thinking on this issue. Too bad he is so secretive. I doubt if any one in the press will get a chance to ask him about this.



[edit on 11/14/2009 by Sparky63]