Praying doesn't really carry Christian connotations on its own though. I, as a fairly non religiously affiliated Japanese person, would think of "praying" as so

Praying doesn't really carry Christian connotations on its own though. I, as a fairly non religiously affiliated Japanese person, would think of "praying" as something along the lines of "wishing for someone's well being even when you have no control over the situation". Though I agree with your point about praying for peace, I can't help feel that you're extrapolating too much based on your experiences.