Last month, we attended the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Programme send-off receptions held in several cities. This year, 130 new JET Programme participants from Australia and 109 new JET Programme participants from New Zealand are embarking to localities all across Japan. In terms of participants, these numbers are the 4th and 5th largest after the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. respectively. JET Programme participants work in Japanese local governments as ALTs (Assistant Language Teacher), CIRs (Coordinator for International Relations) or SEAs (Sports Exchange Advisor). They will not only have many opportunities to teach the people in their community about their home country, but they will also be able to learn about Japan, its culture, language, people and more. They are expected to promote international exchange on a grassroots level throughout Japan, through their work and social involvement with the local residents.
A JET alumnus compared her experience as a JET participant in a rural town to being “a little celebrity” in her send-off speech to the new JET Programme participants. Her comment rings very true. There are many local municipalities that have very few non-Japanese residents. People sincerely welcome and show a lot of interest in the JET Programme participants in such places. In other words, while they are expected to fulfil their work duties in a professional manner, their role will also be similar to that of an ambassador. How they conduct themselves on a professional and private level will reflect upon their country.
Thanks to over three decades of excellent work and behaviour exhibited by participants since the Programme’s establishment, the JET Programme has grown to become one of the world’s largest international exchange programs, and has an excellent reputation both in Japan as well as overseas. We are confident that the new JET participants will continue this positive contribution and uphold the reputation of the Programme.
We wish the new JET participants every success and a wonderful time in each locality in Japan. We also hope that they maintain contact with Japan and help to further good relations between Japan, Australia and New Zealand after the completion of their terms of appointment.
