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Obama travels to Japan without the first lady, and Japanese tongues are wagging about what that says about Japan's place on the US priority list. After all, Michelle Obama and daughters recently went to (gasp!) China.

When Japan scored Caroline Kennedy as the new US ambassador to Tokyo last year, Japanese officials and media were ecstatic. That President Obama had named such a globally recognized figure and the daughter of a widely beloved and glamorous president to represent the United States in Japan was seen as a sign of the countrys enduring importance to Washington.

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But that was then. Now on the eve of Mr. Obamas state visit to Tokyo this week, Japan is back to openly fretting about its place on Americas priority list particularly in comparison to rising rival China.

The reason? When Obama arrives Wednesday evening, hell disembark Air Force One solo without first lady Michelle Obama. Obama will be the first US president to come to Japan on a state visit in 18 years, but never mind: Michelles absence has thrown Tokyo into a tizzy.

Media commentators, social media discussions, academics, even some officials, named and unnamed, are wringing their hands over Mrs. Obamas decision to sit out not just Japan but her husbands entire eight-day Asia trip, which will also take in South Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

At least one miffed member of the Diet, Japans parliament, has gone so far as to become snarky so not like Japan and intimate that the presidents solo travel must say something about the state of the Obama marriage.

But for most of those doing the chattering, Mrs. Obamas absence is a woeful sign of Japans retreat from the top tier of Americas allies.

No doubt the first lady's no-show would have disappointed and prompted speculation under just about any circumstances. But what has really thrown the Japanese for a loop is that her failure to grace Japan with her presence comes within a month of Mrs. Obamas widely covered trip with daughters, Sasha and Malia, to (shudder at the thought) China.

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Obama goes stag to Asia, and Japanese don't like it