United States President Barack Obama has caused a storm in a Japanese earthenware cup for a breach of imperial protocol. When meeting Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan at the weekend, President Obama bowed deeply while shaking hands with the Emperor, considered a major faux pas in Japanese bowing etiquette. The affair is reminiscent of former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Dick Cheney’s bowing saga with the Emperor and Empress a decade ago.

According to Japan Guide, “when bowing to someone of higher social status, a deeper, longer bow indicates respect”, the Emperor not offering a reciprocal bow as traditionally he bows to no one. Commentators believe that President Obama’s bow would have been in keeping with the tradition had he not shook the Emperor’s hand – a scarcity in Japanese culture.

Quite often there’s a culture clash when East meet West, or in former President George Bush’s East-meets-Middle-East lip-locking case pictured below. President Obama was again criticised in April at a G-20 meeting when it was his turn to meet the Saudi royals, bowing to King Abdullah. According to White House Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, President Obama’s gesture to the Saudi King was not a bow and was instead “bent over” to shake hands.

All I know is that Emperor and Empress of Japan are the cutest old people I have ever seen, the Emperor bearing resemblance to the Malyasian Prime Minister in Zoolander (below).

The culture gap works both ways, as demonstrated by the below instructional video issued to aspiring Japanese ‘hostesses’. There’s some colourful language at play, so send the kodomo off to count the dotted lines on your nearest highway.

(Source: Huffington Post)

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