Asian 'Obamamania' likely muted

“There's less of a desire in Asia that Obama be a transformational figure who breaks with the Bush era,” Mann said. “Many actually want to see some kind of continuity.”

As Obama sets the tone for his administration's relations with Asia's economic powers, he may face his greatest challenge with the Chinese, who seem the most wary of his policies.

Though many Chinese admire his personal appeal, that does not outweigh general concern about his administration's intentions, especially given its recent decision to impose punitive duties on tire imports from China.

“Whoever becomes president of the United States won't be very friendly to China. After all, China is a competitive rival of the United States,” said Wang Shuyang, 47, a high-tech company executive from Shanghai.

Some even feel China was on a more comfortable footing with Bush. “We knew where we stood,” said Shi Yinhong, professor of international security at Renmin University in Beijing.

Like other export-driven Asian countries, the Chinese worry a Democratic administration will be more vulnerable to protectionist pressures at home, a fear that persists despite Obama's insistence on the importance of free trade.

Some human rights activists fear Obama will put human rights in China on the back burner to curry favor with its communist government, the biggest holder of U.S. treasuries and a powerbroker on North Korea. The White House denies this.

Japan, Obama's first stop next Thursday before attending an Asia-Pacific summit in Singapore, will pose another challenge as he tries to cement ties with new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who wants to steer a more independent diplomatic course from its U.S. ally.

Bilateral issues such as U.S. military bases on Japanese soil remain sensitive and could cloud Obama's visit. But in general, Obama's vision of a nuclear-free world should give him a boost among Japanese with a pacifist tilt.

North Korea's nuclear defiance will likely dominate Obama's stop in Seoul. Many South Koreans greeted Obama's election a year ago as a welcome change after Bush, who was seen as too rigid in dealing with the problem.

Despite that, Obama has little to show for his diplomatic outreach to Pyongyang. He has also made little more progress than Bush did in getting a long-stalled U.S.-South Korea free trade deal through the U.S. Congress.

Although Indonesia won't be on Obama's itinerary this time, his popularity runs high in the world's most populous Muslim country, where he is embraced almost as a native son because he lived and went to school in the capital Jakarta as a child.

“People like him because he seems to be one of us,” said political commentator Wimar Witoelar.

Indonesians are eagerly awaiting a chance to celebrate Obama's links to their country. The White House says he has agreed to visit there next year.

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