[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

I do. In the Japanese culture how each person bows when meeting is important. Men of equal rank exchange equal bows. In this case, one is an actual head of State while the other is the figure head of State, but close enough that they are kind of equals.

But the bow that Obama gives is, again, a subservient bow. It lowers the U.S. to being beneath Japan.

It is a very big diplomatic problem.

[P-Marlowe]

In the Japanese culture.....

In American culture men only bow to Jesus.

We have no King but Christ!

[ImaGraftedBranch]

Having lived in Japan for 5 years, I am quite familiar with what is acceptable and what is not.
This was subservience.

[WesternPacific]

It is a very big diplomatic problem.

As evident by the expression on the older gentleman's face. The Japanese are too polite to laugh at him, to his face anyway.

[mollynme]

I do. In the Japanese culture how each person bows when meeting is important. Men of equal rank exchange equal bows. In this case, one is an actual head of State while the other is the figure head of State, but close enough that they are kind of equals.

But the bow that Obama gives is, again, a subservient bow. It lowers the U.S. to being beneath Japan.

It is a very big diplomatic problem.

I agree completely. I was born and raised in Japan and that was my first thought on seeing this picture.