Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (above) was President Donald Trump’s latest victim to endure the humiliating Oval Office treatment a notable part being President Trump’s attempt at humour that fell rather flat with the Japanese audience (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8dlpr074q3o).
In my post of 18 March, I referred to it as “le théâtre de l’absurde” and went onto describe the gaudy, tasteless, redecoration of the Oval Office as resembling an ante room in a 19th Century Parisian bawdy house.
More than some of my US readers will regard this description as harsh, insulting and unjustified. It is true that there is a general difference in taste between the mass of the US people and the mass of the UK people. Typically, when looking at such as the car below (1959 Cadillac Eldorado) a typical UK person would view it as somewhat over embellished.
Harsh, insulting and unjustified many Americans may regard me, but I am onside with them in their judgment of Mr Trump’s attempt at humour. The issue here is that humour differs greatly between cultures, as does sensitive issues.
It is a FACT that in the UK and the USA that it is not infrequent for us to talk about the conflict that over eight decades after it ended is still referred to as “…..the War”. Those of us over a certain age do not have to question, which war. We know! Furthermore, we occasionally talk about it and events in it. We even crack jokes about it.
However: This is most definitely NOT the case in the cases of Germany and Japan! In these countries, the conflict and all talk of it is avoided like the plague!
Mr Trump was NOT being insulting towards Japan, the Japanese and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Mr Trump’s joke encompasses a signature feature that is often found in American and British humour: self mockery. Laughing at oneself/ourselves. This is NOT something that Chinese people or Japanese people indulge in. “Loss of face” is a major issue “out East”!
Will this particular incident result in a worsening of relations?
In-and-of-itself, no. Japanese Foreign Ministry professionals will know all about the differences of culture and will be aware that Mr Trump did not intend the remark to be an insult.