Looking toward 2026, I was inspired to engage with emerging Japanese leaders at the prefectural and municipal levels, including a Vice Governor, a Prefectural Assembly Member and son of the Prime Minister, and a Mayor, all committed to advancing U.S.–Japan relations at the grassroots level.
Six years after my first book, I am grateful to share the publication of my newest work, Abandoned No More, a Christian faith memoir about perseverance, prayer, and trust in God.
This project was shaped by patience, prayer, and persistence, a reminder that faith often works quietly over time before it becomes visible.
Writing this memoir deepened my belief that our lives unfold according to purpose even when we cannot yet see the direction. With faith and perseverance, what once seemed distant becomes possible.
God bless, and thank you for being part of this journey.
Available through major retailers: Abandoned No More, a Christian faith memoir
I recently had the privilege of connecting with Ambassador Bill Burns — a public servant whose career represents diplomacy at its best.
He demonstrated that effectiveness and decency are not competing traits. They reinforce each other.
Throughout his career bridging diplomacy and intelligence, he earned trust across political lines while maintaining humility and professionalism.
His example reminds us that leadership is not defined by volume or visibility, but by integrity, consistency, and respect for others.
In an age of noise, quiet competence remains powerful.
Free speech keeps societies alive.
It allows ideas to be shared, perspectives to be challenged, and understanding to grow.
In the United States, the First Amendment protects expression and peaceful assembly.
In Japan, Article 21 guarantees freedom of speech and prohibits censorship.
Different histories — shared principle.
Across cultures, the ability to speak, listen, and question is not merely legal protection; it is the foundation of resilient communities.
Societies endure not because they agree on everything, but because they allow disagreement to exist peacefully.
I recently had the privilege of meeting Dr. Arai Takashi — a longtime China analyst, former CSIS Japan Fellow, and researcher affiliated with the Tokyo Institute of Technology — to discuss immigration policy and foreign community integration in Kanagawa Prefecture.
Japan faces a historic demographic challenge: a rapidly aging society and declining population. While automation, AI, and robotics will help mitigate labor shortages, technology alone cannot fully address workforce gaps. Immigration policy and successful integration of foreign residents will play an increasingly central role in Japan’s economic sustainability.
Dr. Arai recently participated in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Yokohama and is conducting research on Japan’s relations with the Middle East — regions that may become increasingly relevant in future migration and labor partnerships.
Our discussion reinforced a growing reality: Japan’s long-term prosperity will depend not only on innovation, but also on its openness to people.
His remarkable personal library — only a fraction visible behind us — reflects decades of research dedicated to understanding global demographic change and international cooperation.
One of the best things about being a father is your son has to share his ice cream with you because you’re the one paying for it.
Amid market swings outdoor swings offer a different breath of richness. Both can be thrilling. But only one is God’s playground where the soul forgets gravity, and joy returns to its purest, wind swept form.
Thank you, Senator Kelly, for your steadfast support of Arizonans, for recognizing the vital contributions of federal employees—both Foreign Service Officers and Civil Servants—in safeguarding our nation, and for your continued dedication to public service.
ケリー上院議員に心より感謝申し上げます。アリゾナ州民への揺るぎないご支援、米国外交官および公務員による国家安全保障への重要な貢献をご認識いただき、さらに公共サービスへの継続的なご尽力に、深く敬意を表します。今後とも宜しくお願い致します。
Georgetown’s neuroscience department is conducting innovative research to measure brain waves in an effort to develop a low-cost sports-style headband for everyday home use to identify sleep problems and potentially enable early Alzheimer’s detection technology. Most home sleep monitoring devices rely on body movement, which cannot distinguish between sleep stages such as light and deep sleep. By measuring brain wave activity directly, this approach represents a meaningful advancement in home-based monitoring. Unlike traditional sleep trackers, this brain wave device may help transform early Alzheimer’s detection technology, offering a non-invasive, comfortable, and user-friendly alternative to more cumbersome methods. Dr. Wu hopes the device will reach the market within 15 years — though many of us participating in the study are optimistic it could arrive sooner. It is far easier to use than a CPAP and holds promise as a more efficient and accessible tool in the future of early Alzheimer’s detection technology.
Empowering women with disabilities is an important part of building stronger and more inclusive communities.
I was honored to meet Abigail Bachman, Miss Nevada 2025, who holds a doctorate in Occupational Therapy and serves as Executive Director of a nonprofit supporting women and girls with disabilities across Nevada. Thanks to her Dad, a retired AFRICOM official, for taking the photo.
Her work focuses on confidence, independence, and opportunity for young people navigating physical and developmental challenges. Advocacy and community leadership help ensure individuals are recognized for their abilities and potential.
Best wishes to Abigail as she prepares for the Miss America Organization 2026 competition in Orlando, Florida.
Ken Reiman is a diplomat, author, and global affairs speaker whose work reflects faith, leadership, and lived international experience.