The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program started in 1987. Since then, the program has grown from 4 to 41 participating counties. JET is one of Japan's largest-scaled exchange programs and is conducted by local governments in Japan in cooperation with the Ministries*1 of Foreign Affairs, Education and Home Affairs, and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR)*2. Participants are placed in contracting organizaitons throughout Japan.

What is JET?
The JET Program invites college or university graduates and young professionals to live and work in Japan. The Program aims to both enhance foreign language education as well as cultural understanding at the grass roots level. Two positions are offered for U.S. citizens: Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) and Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs). ALTs work as assistants to Japanese teachers of English at elementary, junior high or senior high schools, while CIRs engage in international exchange activities at local government offices. A third type of position, Sports Educational Advisors (SEAs), is by invitation only. "Invitation only" means that a Japanese sports organization will contact its American counterparts to find someone to fill this position. If you have further questions regarding SEA positions, please contact the Embassy of Japan in Washington D.C. at jet@embjapan.org

For more information about the JET Program as a whole, please visit the JET website:
www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JET/

*1 Three Ministries (the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR).

*2 Contracting Organizations consist of 47 prefectural and 14 designated city governments, individual city, town and village governments and some private schools. JET participants sign their contracts with their Contracting Organization and as such, they are under the jurisdiction of the local authority wchich employs them.