Home > Highlighting JAPAN > Highlighting Japan JULY 2012 > Young Pioneers of the JET Age
Caption: Darr spends as much time as he can with his students speaking English and improving their skills.
Credit: MASATOSHI SAKAMOTO
The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET Programme) is one of the world's largest government-linked international exchange programs. Each year through the program over 4,000 overseas participants work in local government organizations and schools in Japan. The Japan Journal's Osamu Sawaji introduces JET and meets a young American on the Programme.
In the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET Programme), local government organizations hire young people from overseas with the aim of promoting foreign language education and grassroots international exchange.
JET participants work either as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) helping Japanese teachers in foreign language classes, a Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) working on translation, interpretation and foreign exchange programs at local government organizations, or a Sports Exchange Advisor (SEA) working in international exchange activities involving sports. Participants perform terms of one to five years.
Since the JET Programme began in 1987, approximately 56,000 participants from 60 nations have taken part. In FY2011 there were some 4,300 participants from 39 nations, dispatched to about 1,000 local government organizations throughout Japan. Over 90% of the JET participants are ALTs, and while the focus language of a majority of them is English, some also come to assist with French, Chinese and Korean.
"Foreign language activities became a requirement in elementary education in 2011 and English ALTs at elementary schools have increased since then," says Noriaki Suzuki of the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). "The role of CIRs is expanding as well. Since more people from abroad are living in Japan today, some CIRs offer consultation to expatriates in their area, and some are involved in economic exchange programs between their home country and the local government organization to which they are dispatched."
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