Changes to Asia North Area Presidency

Beginning 1 August 2020, changes were made to the Asia North Area Presidency. Elder Takashi Wada is serving as the Asia North Area President, with Elder L. Todd Budge serving as the First Counselor. Elder James R. Rasband joined the Asia North Presidency as the Second Counselor.

Elder Rasband was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 2019. Members of the Church in the Asia North Area welcome Elder Rasband to his new assignment and look forward to his leadership and service. A warm welcome is offered to Sister Mary Rasband, as well.

Elder Yoon Hwan Choi, former President of the Asia North Area, leaves the Asia North Area to begin his new assignment as Second Counselor in the Philippines Area Presidency. Members of the Church in the Asia North Area express their love and thanks to Elder Choi, and to his wife, Sister Bon Kyung Koo Choi, for their love and service to the area and wish them the best as Elder Choi moves on to serve in the Philippines Area Presidency.

Elder Takashi Wada

General Authority Seventy

Elder Takashi Wada was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 31, 2018, at age 53. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a Gospel Doctrine teacher and director for temporal affairs in the Asia North Area. He has been serving as a member of the Asia North Area Presidency and currently serves as President of the Asia North Area.

Elder Wada received a bachelor of arts degree in linguistics in 1990 and a master’s degree in business administration in 1996, both from Brigham Young University. His professional career has included several executive positions for multinational corporations in the United States and Japan as well as the position of director for temporal affairs for the Church in the North America West, Northwest, and Asia North Areas.

Elder Wada has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Utah Salt Lake City North Mission, branch president, bishop, president of the Japan Tokyo South Mission, seminary teacher, ward young single adult adviser, and Gospel Doctrine teacher.

Takashi Wada was born in Nagano, Japan, on February 5, 1965. He married Naomi Ueno in 1994. They are the parents of two children.

Elder L. Todd Budge

General Authority Seventy

Elder L. Todd Budge was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 2019, at age 59. At the time of his call, he was serving as an Area Seventy and a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah Salt Lake City Area.

Elder Budge received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Brigham Young University in 1984. He worked for Bain & Company Japan, Citibank N.A., and GE Capital in both Atlanta and Japan. In 2003 he became president and chief executive officer of Tokyo Star Bank Limited. From 2008 to 2011 he served as chairman of the board. He retired from the bank in 2011. During this time, he also served as a member of the board of directors for Hawaiian Airlines.

Elder Budge has served in several Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Japan Fukuoka Mission, stake Young Men president, elders quorum president, stake executive secretary, counselor in a bishopric, bishop, stake president, and president of the Japan Tokyo Mission.

Lawrence Todd Budge was born in Pittsburg, California, on December 29, 1959. He married Lori Capener in 1981. They are the parents of six children.

Elder James R. Rasband

General Authority Seventy

Elder James R. Rasband was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 2019, at age 56. At the time of his call he had been serving as an Area Seventy and a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah South Area.

Elder Rasband received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Near Eastern studies from Brigham Young University in 1986 and a juris doctor degree in law from Harvard in 1989. He began his career as an attorney with Perkins Coie in Seattle, Washington. In 1995 he joined the faculty of the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. He later served as dean of the J. Reuben Clark Law School from 2009 to 2016. Most recently he served as academic vice president of Brigham Young University.

Elder Rasband has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Korea Seoul Mission, ward mission leader, ward executive secretary, counselor in an elders quorum presidency, high councilor, bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, ward Young Men president, counselor in a bishopric, stake president, Gospel Doctrine teacher, and assistant Scoutmaster.

James Richard Rasband was born in Seattle, Washington, on March 20, 1963. He married Mary Diane Williams in 1984. They are the parents of four children.