The bow that US President Barack Obama made to Japan’s Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko in Tokyo Nov. 14, 2009 has been criticized by some US media pundits and news outlets. In the US the Obama bow debate has focused on whether the form of the bow was correct, if Obama should have only shaken hands instead of bowing, and the implication of the bow. In Japan, the bow was not critiqued in the media. The reports from abroad have become more interesting to Japanese media than the Obama bow itself.

The Obama bow-handshake combo, though not especially elegant, was appropriate given the situation and the hand-thrust maneuver presented by Emperor Akihito.

The US media has mostly taken only a superficial look at bowing in Japan. While reporting on Obama’s alleged bowing gaffes, the media has overlooked the tremendous number of bowing options available in Japan. President Obama could have selected from several bow versions. Here is the Lets Japan Guide to Bow.

The Ten Bows Obama Did Not Do

  photos Degrees man; woman. White shirt.

A new Mcdonald’s TV commercial depicts a 1960’s American scenario that seems to be featuring the witch Samantha from the TV show Bewitched. In the ad, "Samantha" serves a single Quarter Pounder Bacon & BBQ burger to a birthday party consisting of 6 kids. Her husband "Darren" and another woman (possibly nosey neighbor Gladys Kravitz) watches the fun. Everyone claps when the burger is served.

1978 Mcdonald’s Japan TV Commercial

Bewitched in Japan(J) Wiki; Ochiochi wonderland. Bewitched around the world.

People who have lost their jobs and do not have money for food seem to be responsible for an increase in convenience store robberies in Tokyo.

The Metropolitan Police Department said food is being targeted instead of cash.

In September, a man armed with a knife stole onigiri (rice balls) and flavored carbonated alcoholic beverages (Chu-hai) valued at about JPY 2600 from a Tokyo convenience store. "I lost my job due to restructuring late last year. I was hungry," the 42-year-old man told the MPD.

In October, a man threatened a convenience store clerk with a box cutter and stole a cigarette lighter. The 26-year-old man told the MPD he wanted to get caught so he could have a bath and get food.

Police are calling food-snatching robberies "Life distress thefts".

According to the MPD official, there were 67 convenience store robberies in Tokyo as of the end of September. There were the 31 robberies during the same period in 2008.

 The MPD reports the number of convenience store robberies began to rise following the "Lehman shock" of October 2008 and the global recession. According to the MPD, in at least 4 robberies only food or drinks was stolen. The robbers only glanced at the cash. About 60 percent of the convenience store robbers were motivated by extreme hardship the MPD said.

photos: Chu hai; Onigiri; Hello Work; training white gloves, reporters; training blue shirt; training pink shirt; blackboard (Moka city); food handout Kansai, Tokyo. related: Homeless in Japan photo series.

Invasion of the Three-Word Ad Slogan — Quiz

These slogans appear in English text on the product's ads in Japan. Match the slogan to the company. (No cheating!)

Instructions: For each company in the far left column, enter in the small box the number of the slogan from the slogan list. If the slogan number you enter is correct, the correct answer will appear in the large box adjacent to the company name after you put the cursor in the next number box. Data cannot be entered in the large boxes. 

The first item is done for you as an example. Some slogans in the slogan list are fake.

This quiz may not function correctly if you are viewing this post in a reader (such as Google Reader). Please access the blog post page link in order to enable the quiz functions. Click here: Invasion of the Three-Word Ad Slogan