The "Soul Brothers" Handshake

     Sometimes, the smallest things can throw the best laid plans into a tailspin.  It is surprising how people who are accustomed to handling all sorts of important, world changing, substantive matters, can go into a tizzy over a very small, insignificant thing.  Such was the case in the early September of 1980 when Ambassador Mansfield's Office in Embassy Tokyo received a call from the Foreign Ministry, from Foreign Minister Ito's Office.
     According to Ito's assistant, the Foreign Minister had injured his right index finger playing golf!  The finger was dislocated and the Foreign Minister could not bend it or apply any pressure on it.  In a few days there was going to be a treaty signing ceremony at the Foreign Ministry.  Ambassador Mansfield and Foreign Minister Ito were to sign the U.S. /Japan Bilateral Security Agreement.  It was a renewal of the agreement which had been drafted and agreed upon months earlier.  The ceremony, of course, would conclude with the Ambassador and Foreign Minister Ito shaking hands.  The handshaking was an important gesture to signify that the two countries were in agreement, and it provided the photo ops for all the major press representatives at the ceremony.
     Ito's assistant was very concerned, how were the two going to shake hands?  The Foreign Minister could not shake hands in a conventional manner, since that would apply pressure on the index finger.  Did the American Embassy have any suggestions?
     At the time I was working in the Political/Military Affairs and was scheduled to accompany Ambassador Mansfield, along with the Political Counselor, to the treaty signing ceremony.  Everyone involved were stumped briefly.  Then one of my friends in the Political Section jokingly suggested that the Ambassador and the Foreign Minister shake hands like "soul brothers."
     Back in the day, it may be hard to believe for the younger generation today, but people shook hands in a conventional manner when they greeted or parted.  "Fist bumping" and "high fiving" did not exist!  The only ones who used to "high five" were professional athletes, namely NBA players.  Even the NFL players did not "high five" yet.  "Fist bumping" along with the more unconventional handshakes, did not exist at all in the general society. It was practiced in prisons among cons and among some of the younger blacks in the inner cities.  The clasping of hands like arm wrestlers was referred to as the "soul brothers" handshake because it was practiced in the black community.  This form of handshaking had been practiced for a number of years in some of the African societies and it migrated to the American shores to the black community.  In the American society in general, it was not practiced, although some of the more "hip" and younger urban non-black Americans, particularly musicians and others in entertainment, started to use this form of handshake.
     When the word reached Ambassador Mansfield that Foreign Minister Ito had an injured right index finger and couldn't shake hands in a conventional manner, he became thoughtful and puffed on his pipe.  Taking my friend's suggestion (although it was made in jest), I said to Ambassador Mansfield that perhaps he and the Foreign Minister could shake hands in an unconventional manner, like "soul brothers."  Ambassador Mansfield looked puzzled at the suggestion, so I explained that it was clasping of hands like in arm wrestling.  The Ambassador brightened up at my explanation and said, after puffing a few more times on his pipe, "So it is, and so it will be.  We will shake hands like "soul brothers."
     I called the Foreign Minister's assistant and told him about the solution to the problem.  At first he didn't understand what I meant by "soul brother" or "soru burada" handshake.  I asked him if he had seen any of the Shaft movies which were popular in Japan, mainly because of its theme song!  He said he had.  I then told him if he ever noticed how the black people shook hands, and at that point my man understood and chuckled and said, yes, he knew, and he would pass it on to the Foreign Minister.
     On September 16, 1980, Ambassador Mansfield, accompanied by the Political Counselor Robert Immerman and the Political/Military Affairs Officer (me), went over to the Gaimusho (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and met with Foreign Minister Ito and his contingent.  After the usual pleasantries, the treaty was signed and the handshaking took place with all the flashes from press cameras.  The handshaking was done in the "soul brothers" manner as can be seen in the photo that I posted on my FB wall.  It looks almost as if Ito is pointing a finger at Mansfield!  Some of the Japanese press was a bit confused by the handshake while others caught on immediately!  Everything went off without a hitch!