“Japan has recently elected a new prime minister. Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba is Japan’s new leader and is from the Liberal Democratic Party. Many Japanese are ambivalent towards politics perhaps because there have been various scandals over the years, and many feel their political leaders are out of touch with the common person. It has been said that many Japanese cannot name the mayor of their town or their regionally elected officials. One seldom hears political leaders being prayed for in the local churches even though the Bible tells us to pray for our leaders. If Christians do not pray for their leaders, who will? And, if we do not ask for wisdom from above to guide them, what wisdom other than human will be available to them? Mr. Ishiba’s mother was a teacher and the granddaughter of a Christian minister. He was baptized at the age of 18. Pray that from the top down, the political leaders of Japan will lead with righteousness and integrity. Ask that the Christians in this nation will regularly pray for them.”