After a one-day orientation on July 20 at University of London School of Oriental and African Studies, 200 new JET Programme participants from the UK gathered in Senate House, University of London for farewell reception. They were seen off by a total gathering of around 300 guests at the reception where Japanese Ambassador HE Koji Tsuruoka said some farewell words.
Also saying a few words about their upcoming Japanese adventures were JLGC Director General Yoshiyuki Kurono who gave the toast and JET Alumni Association Chair Sarah Parsons who gave advice to JETs on how to make the most of their experience.
At a separate orientation in Edinburgh on July 13, also followed by reception at the Consulate General in Scotland, around 30 new JETs also spent a day listening to Japanese staff and former JETs speaking about life on the programme in Japan, giving advice on daily living in the country as well as talking about experiences of working in the Japanese workplace whether placed in a school, board of education, city hall or prefectural headquarters where JETs are usually placed by local authorities throughout the country for one to five years.
Ambassador Tsuruoka
The JET Programme is now in its 32nd year and is administered through the collaboration of Japan’s local government authorities, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR), JLGC’s head office in Tokyo.
Aiming primarily to promote grass-roots international links at the local level, the JET Programme invites young graduates from around the world to participate in international exchange work and be involved in foreign language education at Japan’s local government offices, Boards of Education, elementary schools, junior high schools, and senior high schools. The JET Programme has gained high acclaim both domestically and internationally for being one of the world’s largest international exchange programmes. The aim is for all people involved in the JET Programme, both the participants and the local people they live and work with, will build an international network and become successful in today’s global society.
Over the past 32 years, it has seen significant growth, from its original 848 participants from 4 countries in 1987, to 5,528 participants from 54 countries at present. Over 60,000 graduates have taken part in JET over the years, with over 11,000 from the UK.
There are currently approximately 1,000 local government organisations, including 45 prefectures and 19 designated cities which host JET participants.
The new JETs flew out to Japan at the end of July, to start their new placements throughout the country at the beginning of September. A total of around 230 JETs for 2018 sees an increase in numbers of UK participants now increasing for several years in succession.
Applications for the 2019 round of JET recruitment, with the deadline 22nd November 2018, is currently open and details can be seen here:
