Bows of CEOs betray the troubles facing Japanese firms

Executives of big Japanese corporations have been seen bowing deeply at press conferences in recent years - apologizing, in Japanese style, for the misconducts of their companies.

Such scenes can be seen at more frequent intervals nowadays given the high number of corporate scandals in Japan, from faulty air bags to falsified product data, from inflated booking to flawed inspections. Household names with tarnished reputation include Kobe Steel, Mitsubishi Material, Nissan, Toray and Olympus.

To express remorse, the bosses of the scandal-ridden companies put their hands by their side and bow at a 45-degree angle, with their face looking directly at the floor. It must be 45 degrees, as a 35-degree bow stands for greeting.