Honored to connect with Ambassador Bill Burns, a statesman who brought decency and dignity to the practice of diplomacy โ and carried those same values with him as Director of the CIA. One of the greatest American diplomats of the modern era, he has masterfully bridged diplomacy and intelligence, earning bipartisan respect while remaining as humble as ever. A reminder that one can be both kind and effective.
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.
Honored to spend time with 40-year China analyst, former CSIS Japan Fellow, and PhD in social engineering from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Dr. Arai Takashi and his wife on immigration issues in Japan and the integration of foreign communities in Kanagawa Prefecture. Dr. Arai participated in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development held in Yokohama in August and is conducting research on Japan’s relations with the Middle East. Eager to read his next research study. The stack of books behind us in his library represents only 1/4 of the rest of his collection of impressive materials. As Japan grapples with an aging society and declining population, labor resource management will remain a key challenge – something AI and robots alone cannot resolve.
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.
What better day to do so then right before May 7, commemorating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, and the arrival of America’s first Japanese immigrant – John Manjiro – who arrived on a whaling ship on May 7, 1843. Another John I’m proud of is my son, preparing for his first communion.
Dual citizens bring nations closer. ย I argue this in my book LoveBothKeepBoth: Passport to Peace, Prosperity and Strengthened Diplomacy. ย Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson agree. ย The couple officially became dual citizens this week by obtaining Greek citizenship. ย Congratulations!
Using this occasion to share one of my favorite Tom Hankโs quotes: โIf it wasnโt hard, everyone would do it. ย Itโs the hard that makes it great.โ
Are there perfect human beings? No. Can a gathering of imperfect human beings create a perfect union? No. But the key in the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution is the word “more”. We are striving toward the ideal of a “more” perfect Union. May we work together to realize that ideal this Fourth of July weekend and every other weekend to come. A special thanks to all those men and women who sacrifice on behalf of the United States of America to serve this country and humanity. This rose flower is for you.
Prejudice against dual nationality is a stance against value pluralism. Yet, value pluralism is an essential need for the long-term stability of an open democratic society.
Writing inspires people to read. Reading can inspire people to feel a certain way. Those feelings can translate into thoughts. Those thoughts ultimately lead to actions. Every change begins with a vision. When you write you create a stream of living ideas that if allowed to flow can change the currents of life. The hardest rock can be pierced open when water keeps pounding at its surface, weathering the hurts of so many ages until finally it cracks! This is why I write: to chip away at that hardened rock of human indifference, prejudice, and intolerance. Writing exposes people to new worlds and perspectives and uncomfortable truths. Yet, it is only through exposing these truths that healing can begin. Write to unite. Write to challenge. Write to inspire. For one day it might be your idea that changes the world!
What a day to be grateful for if you have your health, family and a means to financially support yourself and loved ones. Not everyone is so fortunate. It is a blessing to be able to share one’s wealth and knowledge to alleviate in some way the pain and suffering of others. The spirit of volunteerism is also very American and alive and well. It is a spirit I treasure. I created this business proposal long before the COVID-19 outbreak precisely to see how I could assist the urban homeless in Japan. Why? The homeless aren’t someone else’s problem. They are us. They are human. It is never too late to reaffirm our common humanity through kindness andย acts of charity. I hope one day some brave soul will take this business proposal and implement it. It’s free. One less homeless person on the streets is a legacy we can all be proud of – whether Japanese or American or both. Have a great week and know that your health ultimately rests on the health and well-being of others. One human family.