I agree with Scott Johnson, Steve Gilbert, Andrew Malcom, and many others that the President of the United States should not be bowing before any head of state. But unlike these astute observers, I actually know a little something about the art of the bow in Japan, having lived in Japan four different times on a resident visa, taught East Asian Studies at Harvard, and counseled many hundreds of American, European, Middle Eastern, and Australian executives on how to work and negotiate with the Japanese -- including teaching them the right way to bow.

Watch Heads of state greeting the Japanese Emperor below:

http://domania.us/Oaccess/OBAMA/BOW-Japan346H.gif

pathetic

Who are his advisers, seriously? You mean a simple 5 second google could have unearthed this info?

Yes: pathetic.

I should think that the Secret Service agents are familiar
with cultural protocol, but Obama isn't one to ask questions, he just blunders and stumbles along.