Looking toward 2026, I was inspired to engage with future Japanese leaders at the prefectural and municipal levels, including a Vice Governor, a Prefectural Assembly Member and son of the current Prime Minister, and a Mayor, all focused on advancing U.S.โJapan relations at the grass roots level.
Excited to announce the publication of my new book, six years after my first. With faith and persistence all things are possible! God bless. Available via Amazon here.
๐
๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ค๐๐๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐. It’s not just a right – it’s the ability to ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐.
In the ๐.๐. (๐
๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐๐๐๐):
“Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble…”
This protection is ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ.
๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง (๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐):
“Freedom of assembly and association as well as speech, press and all other forms of expression are guaranteed. No censorship shall be maintained…”
This guarantee ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐.
Across cultures, the ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ค, ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง is more than a legal principle โ ๐ข๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐๐๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ. Free speech is how ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ, ๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐.
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.
Honored to meet Miss Nevada 2025 Abigail Bachman who not only holds a doctorate in Occupational Therapy but also serves as Executive Director of a nonprofit empowering women and girls with disabilities across Nevada build their self-esteem. Thanks to her Dad, a retired AFRICOM official, for taking the photo. Best wishes to you Abigail in the Miss America 2026 pageant in Orlando, Florida!
Honored to be featured in a podcast interview here:ย Ken Reiman – Mantra Media (mantrahq.com)ย where I discuss leadership, Asian American Heritage Month, the role of mothers and parents, and my book. My journey is not possible without the love, kindness, and sacrifice of my parents and grandparents. For them, my sons, and the future, my book and podcast interview are dedicated. Listen to the podcast and let me know your thoughts.
My new book is out in Japanese and English, dedicated to my wife of 11 years. I decided what better way to honor her than to write a letter to her every weekend and publish a book in her honor in Japanese and Engish. Available for purchase here:
The title of the book is:
ๆฌใฎ็ดนไป๏ผ
ๅฆปใจใฎ11ๅนด็ฎใฎ็ตๅฉ็ๆดปใธๅใใฆใฎ1ๅนด้ใๆฏ้ฑๅๆๆฅใซๅฆปใธๆ็ดใๆธใใใจใซใใใๆฌไฝใฏใๅฆปใจๅญใจใ็ฅใซๅฏพใใใใตใใใฐใใใฎๆ่ฌใ่พผใใ52้ใฎๆ็ดใๅใใใใฎใงใใใใใใใใฎๆ็ดใฏ11ๅนดใฎ็ตๅฉ็ๆดปใ่จๅฟตใใฆ11ๆใงๆงๆใใใฆใใใๅฆปใใฉใใ ใๆใใฆใใใใๅฆปใซๅฏพใใฆใฉใๆใใฆใใใฎใใๅฝผใฎๆฐๆใกใๅฝผๅฅณใซไผใใใฎใซใใใจ10ๅนดๅพ ใฃใฆใใใงใฏ้ ใใใใๅฝผใฏๆธใใใๆ็ดใฏๅคซๅฉฆใฎ็ตใๆทฑใใใใจใใใใจใซๅฝผใฏๆฐไปใใใฎใ ใๆ็ดใๆธใใใจใงใๅฝผใฎๅฟใซๅฝผๅฅณใๅบใใใๆ่ฌใฎๆฐๆใกใๆนงใใฆใใใ้ฑๆซใใจใซใๅฝผใฏใใใช็นๅฅใชๆนๆณใงๅคซๅฉฆใจใใฆ็นใใใใจใใงใใใใพใ ๅฐใใใฆๆดป็บใชใไบไบบใฎ็ทใฎๅญ๏ผ7ๆญณใฎใธใงใณใจ4ๆญณใฎใใใฏใน๏ผใฎๅ ฑๅใใฎ่ฆชใจใใฆใใไบใใซ่ชๅใฎๆ้ใฎ็ขบไฟใ้ฃใใๆฅใ ใๅฝผใๅๆๆฅใฎๆใซๆธใ็ถใใใใฎๆ็ดใฏใ่ฆๆฅฝใๅ ฑใซใใฆใใใๅฆปใธๆ่ฌใ่กจใใจๅ ฑใซใๅฆปใๅฝผใซใจใฃใฆใฉใใ ใ็นๅฅใชๅญๅจใๅ็ขบ่ชใใๆฉไผใจใชใฃใใ็ตต็ๅญใฏๅฝผใฎๆใใๅฆปใงใใใๅไบบใงใใใๅๅใงใใใใ
After 10 years of marriage, I decided to write a letter to my wife each Saturday of the week for an entire year. This was the start of 52 letters to my wife. Each letter is composed of 11 sentences to commemorate 11 years of marriage. The letters touch upon themes of family, faith, and children. I simply wanted to express how I felt about my wife and I did not want to wait another 10 years to tell her how much I love her. I learned that a simple letter could strengthen our relationship further. I could express my feelings more intimately. It allowed her access into my heart and feel appreciated. We were able to connect each weekend as a married couple in a special way. As the busy parents of two young, energetic boys (John aged 7 and Max aged 4), we often do not have time for ourselves let alone each other. My Saturday morning letter writing ritual gave me an opportunity to express my gratitude and carve out a space to let the person who has been by my side through ups and downs know how special she is to me. I am truly blessed to have a loving wife and friend and confidant. Sending you 52 letters with love.