Posted on 11/16/2009 2:04:04 AM PST by AmericanInTokyo
While the book of that precise title has yet to be written (and might be a good book albeit a rather short book), the poor, bumbling White House only need to look at the following online information in order to be corrected once and for all and to also appreciate just what and what is not done in Japan, as they may continue to presumptuously assert that the "first Asia-Pacific President" schooled in these cultures was somehow being polite and sticking to protocol with the Emperor of Japan.
Here, we will be kind enough to translate it for them--spinning, apologetic, damage-control libs in the USA might also want to keep this advice straight out of Japan directly from the Japanese in mind before they sound off on topics they know little or nothing about.
It is currently located of all places as a link, temporarily up, on the Yahoo! Japan news page, below one of the top breaking stories on Obama's Tokyo "bowshake" (sic) with the Emperor.
The authoritative source which Yahoo! Japan uses is "The Dictionary of the ABCs of Japanese Culture" ("Nihon Bunka iroha jiten")[日本文化いろは事典 ], in Japanese. You cannot perhaps get a better authority on the matter than this. Even liberal professors of Japanese Culture in the US who may have donated to Obama and are now called upon to back them up in the midst of this cultural, international faux pas, may have this book on their shelves or resource on their laptops. By the way, did the US State Department or US Embassy in Tokyo have access to this material? That would have been nice.
FWIW, I got the "Nihongo ga o-jouzu desu ne?" comment quite often -- probably because I spent hours listening to Japanese radio at work -- and because I'm a natural mimic...
One of my favorite stunts (when traveling in Japan with a group of "typical" noisy Americans) was to separate myself and act as if I had nothing to do with them, then sidle up to a Nihonjin who looked offended, do the suck-through-your-teeth "hiss", look askance at the Americans, and whisper, "Hen-na-gaijin desu, ne?". I can't count the times that it completely cracked one of them up -- because that is exactly what they were thinking... and were surprised at hearing it come from a gaijin ;-)
Thanks for the link!
He already has such a position, and such an advisor - the State Department's Chief of Protocol.
Obama's trouble, though, is that the person he appointed to that position back in May is a 17-year Clinton insider, who served as the Social Secretary of the Clinton White House for a full eight years, after working closely with Hillary during the 1992 campaign.
Is Obama Getting Punk'd by the Clinton Department of State?
"Oh yes, indeed, Mr. President, absolutely everyone bows to the emperor of Japan! Especially while shaking his hand at the same time! I promise, you'll look fabulously culturally adept!"
Thanks for the info;confirmed what I had thought I remembered about the etiquette of the bow. I too think he’s trying to cover up for the Saudi bow but I also think he’s so arrogant he wouldn’t ask for or listen to any info from the state department or the protocol people.
;-)
Zero could have made a better choice for Protocol Czar. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087951
Feel free to seize. I do it all the time. :)
” When the actual photo is examined President Nixon and the Emperor are leaning in, probably to hear each other!”
And even if it was a bow it was mutual not the genuflection that Obama displayed.
I think Barry thinks that all these feet up pictures make him look relatable or something. I can’t imagine doing it out of comfort, because the implications of using White House furniture, which belongs to the American people and is mostly comprised of expensive antiques, as your personal footstool are highly problematic and unsettling.
Then again, I’m not surprised.
We’re dealing with Barry—the joint-passing, coke-snorting, baby-murderer.
My developing theory. Obama wants the world to eventually bow to him—it’s part of the savior thing. So he’s doing it now, hoping to get people thinking about bowing again as a way of showing respect. Then, when he maneuvers his way into world power, which he believes he’s going to do, he will expect everyone to bow to him. Everything this man does suggests danger.
You may be right. My theory is real simple. He bows to those he feels subservient to. He doesn’t show any respect at all to our closest allies, but he puts on the full “I’m not worthy” routine for anyone he perceives to be a potential threat to us.
I don’t think he feels subservient to anyone. It’s all a show.
Great post. You rule, AmericanInTokyo.
Are Obama’s Protocol Czar and Michelle’s Fashion Czar related?
I don’t know, but I kind of doubt it. It seems if they were, then when obama starts to bow real low to some foreign dictator, the protocol czar would get the fashion czar to tighten the boob belt and lift him back up.
thanks for the kind words. you and many others. i had to post and run yesterday. sorry. wanted to stick around on this fun thread earlier!!
thank you for those excellent points engendered in those fotos!
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