Michelle Obama has had an awkward start to her visit to Japan as she was pictured towering over Emperor Akihito and stumbling as she tried to bow, shake his hand and curtsey at once. The First Lady, dressed in a florid combination of a blazer and skirt, dwarfed the Emperor in her silver stilettos, while he maintained his composure and smiled politely. She then squatted slightly while shaking his hand, seemingly trying to disguise the difference of height between them. Mrs Obama, who is 5ft 9in tall, also caused embarrassment earlier in the day when she grabbed Akie Abe, wife of Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in a hug-and-handshake combination while the Japanese First Lady was trying to bow. Scroll down for video . I'm going in: Michelle Obama stumbles as she attempts an awkward combination of curtsey, western handshake and Japanese bow when meeting Emperor Akihito in Tokyo. Matters were not helped by the fact that she towers over him . Just nod and smile: The Japanese Emperor is the height of politeness as he greets Mrs Obama, who squats slightly as she tries to disguise the dramatic height difference between them . Don't look down on me: Mrs Obama is back to her full height, but the incline of her head indicates that she remains intensely aware of the fact that she is at least a head taller than Emperor Akihito, centre, and his wife, Empress Michiko, right . Excessive physical contact is frowned upon in Japan, and strict traditions govern the practice of bowing. Despite intensive etiquette coaching, successive U.S. officials have famously got it wrong. In 2009, President Barack Obama was was photographed bending to nearly a 90 degree angle when he greeted the Japanese Emperor at the Imperial Palace. His efforts were widely mocked. In another example of over-enthusiastic bowing, the President was pictured bowing to a robot in 2014 while the Japanese people around him remained upright. In 1994, then-President Bill Clinton went to the other extreme, causing offence by inclining his head and shoulders forward and mysteriously pressing his hands together when he met the Emperor. Awkwardness and tension underpins much of the First Lady's visit. Her three-day trip is being described as a 'makeup call' after she 'snubbed' the Japanese by failing to accompany her husband during his state visit to Japan last year. Japan's Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe, is due to make a reciprocal visit to America next month. Mrs Obama's previous no-show  upset members of the Japanese establishment so deeply that one politician, Kazuyuki Hamada, made the outrageous claim that the Obamas were getting divorced, as the president had been using Secret Service agents to cover for his extramarital affairs. Worried: Japan's first lady listened attentively to Mrs Obama's speech, but it is likely that in the back of her mind, she was concerned about the prospect of further hug-and-handshakes . Body-check: Michelle Obama attempts an ill-fated hug-and-handshake combination when meeting Japan's First Lady, Akie Abe. Excessive physical contact is frowned upon in Japan . Altuzarra Spring 2015 . Buy a similar style at Saks . Visit site . Michelle Obama isn't shy when it comes to colors. Yesterday she stole the show in an exquisite lime fit and flare Kenzo dress, and today she had another faultless style hit in this tantalizing  burnt orange ensemble by Altuzarra. We instantly recognized this print from the Altzarra spring 2015 collection, the catwalk was awash with the acacia grenadine floral design. Being married to the President obviously has its benefits, and getting your outfits custom made by designers is one of them. The New York-based fashion house Altuzarra created Michelle's look especially for her but the good news is that you can get a very similar pencil skirt version by clicking right to Saks. It's a seriously envious piece for the new season. Or you could emulate Michelle's look for less with our blooming gorgeous full styles below which will all sculpt your silhouette into the most feminine of shapes in an instant. Team yours with metallic heels and a crisp white shirt. Classiques Entier floral skirt at Nordstrom . Visit site . Grace Elements printed dress at Macy's (now $39.99) Visit site . DIANE von FURSTENBERG skirt at Bloomingdales . Visit site . Vince Camuto pleated skirt Nordstrom . Visit site . How low can he go: In 2009, President Barack Obama caused embarrassment when he was photographed bending to nearly a 90 degree angle when he greeted the Japanese Emperor at the Imperial Palace . Weird: In 1994, then-President Bill Clinton went to the other extreme, causing offence by inclining his head and shoulders forward and mysteriously pressing his hands together when he met the Emperor . Big in Japan: Mrs Obama waves upon her arrival at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, wearing a green printed dress from Kenzo’s Fall 2014 collection, which costs around $700, offset by a chunky belt. Her visit is being described as a 'makeup call' after she snubbed the country last year . Mrs Obama's trip comes at a time of high tension for Americans in Japan, as Tokyo police investigate phone calls threatening to kill U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy and Alfred Magleby, the U.S. consul general based on the southern island of Okinawa. Her arrival also coincides with a visit by former president Bill Clinton, who is in the country to deliver a keynote speech at the JFK International Symposium held at Waseda University in Tokyo. During the five-day trip, Mrs Obama will also visit Cambodia - whose leader, Hun Sen, has a reputation for ruthlessness, and where child prostitution and human trafficking is rife - to highlight a campaign supporting education for girls. There were so far no details on the cost of the trip, but the First Lady's group spent $222,000 over two days in hotel expenses during her 2014 trip to China, the Washington Examiner reported. Mellow yellow: Mrs Obama leaves the plane and heads for her motorcade in Tokyo where she will meet with Japanese first lady Akie Abe to discuss her education initiative . Mrs Obama will then become the first sitting U.S. first lady to visit Cambodia, one of 11 countries participating in the Let Girls Learn initiative. Cambodia's government is led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has a reputation for ruthlessness and little tolerance for dissent. The country also has child prostitution and human trafficking problems. Evan Medeiros, senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council, told reporters that while in Cambodia, Mrs Obama plans to discuss the need for open and inclusive politics and highlight basic values and principles that are important to the U.S. In an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal earlier this week, Mrs. Obama called it a 'tragic waste of human potential' when 62 million girls worldwide are not in school. 'It is also a serious public-health challenge, a drag on national economies and global prosperity, and a threat to the security of countries around the world, including our own,' Mrs. Obama wrote in her online travel journal. 'This visit is part of a journey that began decades ago, back when I was a little girl.' YouTube celebrity Michelle Phan is joining Mrs. Obama in Tokyo to help spread awareness for the Let Girls Learn campaign, and pose questions to the first lady submitted through Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Watch your step: Michelle Obama disembarks upon her arrival at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, wearing a positive, bright dress and eyecatching belt .
Mrs Obama towered over Emperor Akihito and stumbled as she tried to bow, shake his hand and curtsey at once . She also grabbed Japan's First Lady in a hug-and-handshake combination while she was mid-bow . The awkward trip is being described as a 'makeup call' after Mrs Obama failed to accompany the President to Japan last year . Tensions are high after death threats to the U.S. Ambassador to Japan . Mrs Obama wore a green printed dress from Kenzo’s Fall 2014 collection, followed by a striking flower-print suit .