About the whole Obama bowing before the Emperor thing...

[x_expat]

I'm first curious to hear how the Japanese people accepted or didn't accept the incident. Were they scandalized, or did they find it charming how we goofy Americans were up to our usual antics, blundering through Japanese culture like the big water buffaloes we are?

My general thoughts on the matter:

1. Get a life, people. Quit sniping on Obama at every turn. You want Dubya back?
2. World War II is over. Emperor Hirohito is dead. We have the infamous photo of General MacArthur standing next to him with his arms akimbo and no necktie on his shirt, making it clear who was in charge. We've already played the conquering country. It's a new age now. Give our president credit for trying to show some respect to a fellow leader.
3. The atmosphere in which the Emperor resides is so rarified that even a native Japanese would not be able to greet him properly without coaching. Did you know there's a special elevated level of keigo (polite speech) used to speak to the Emperor? Few can speak it well.
4. All that said, somebody could have coached our president on how to bow.
5. At least Obama didn't puke on him, like George Bush Senior did to the Japanese Prime Minister.