About the JET Programme
October 2009
The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme invites university graduates from overseas to participate in international exchange and foreign language education throughout Japan. Established in 1987, the programme has earned a high reputation, both in Japan and overseas, for its efforts in youth and cultural exchanges, and has become one of the largest exchange programmes in the world.
The programme offers university graduates the opportunity to serve in local government organizations as well as public and private primary, junior high and senior high schools.
The JET Programme is conducted under the auspices of local governments in Japan in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). The programme is renewed annually.
Begun in 1987 with the cooperation of the governments of the participating countries, the programme has grown up year by year. The number of JET participants who are currently working in Japan has reached over 4,400 (the number of the participants since 1987 [PDF]), and the number of JET participants from approximately 51 countries totals over 52,000.
The JET Programme has achieved an excellent reputation over its 23-year history, and the utmost care is being taken to ensure that this high level of respectability be maintained. Participants are invited to Japan as representatives of their countries, and are therefore expected to demonstrate a sense of responsibility in all their activities, especially those concerning the promotion of mutual understanding between nations.
Therefore, it is desirable that applicants are adaptable and show a keen interest in Japan and its culture. All participants of the JET Programme are given the opportunity to take advantage of a Japanese language course offered by CLAIR.
How JET Works
a) Contracting Organizations
JET participants are placed in a total of about 1,000 contracting organizations (local boards of education, local governments, etc.) based on the requests received from contracting organizations and successful applicants. Placement requests cannot be guaranteed, however, and alternative postings will not be offered.
b) Orientation, Training and Counseling
All JET participants are required to attend the Pre-Departure Orientation before departing for Japan. The orientation is conducted by the Japanese Embassies and Consulates in participants' countries.
Upon arrival in Tokyo, a general Post-Arrival Orientation is conducted for all JET participants, followed by mid-year seminars in each prefecture.
Specialized training of Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) is provided by CLAIR, while MEXT provides guidance and specialized training to Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs), as well as counseling in education-related matters throughout the year.
CLAIR also provides a counseling/ information service for JET participants during their tenure in the JET Programme.
Roles of the Ministries, CLAIR and contracting organisations
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Receives placement requests from the auspices of local governments; determines participant numbers per prefecture; provides main revenue for the Programme to the auspices of local governments.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: The Embassies and Consulates oversee the application and selection processes; pre-departure orientations; and assistance to the alumni activities.
MEXT: Involved in the Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) aspects of post-arrival orientations and mid-year training seminars, as well as counselling, and giving advice concerning participants' duties as ALTs.
CLAIR: Involved in participant placement, post-arrival orientations, training, counselling, JET publications and other related matters.
Contracting Organisations: Contracting organisations, administered by various organisational bodies, receive the participants assigned to them, and carry out international activities and language instruction. In 2009, about 1,000 contracting organisations hosted participants in the Programme.
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