The University of Southern California Center on Diplomacy blog has posted an article by Emily T. Metzgar, journalism professor at the University of Indiana and former JET participant. The article is a considered approach to the role of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme public diplomacy and a look at the value of such a programme at a time when its worth is a topic of discussion in central government.
Metzgar argues that the value of having ‘a large, worldwide network of college-educated foreigners who understand, respect and appreciate Japanese society and culture continues to emerge.’ Former JETs in the USA have raised $10,000 in New York alone for the victims of March’s earthquake and tsunami. And current JET participants across Japan have been organising food drives and clothing donations across social networking sites.
The article goes on to say that the work of current JETs who have decided to remain in the area, and the efforts of those across Japan and overseas to help, are a demonstration of the benefits that years of internationalization in the form of the JET Programme have brought to Japan. As Metzgar writes:
If the goal of a country’s public diplomacy efforts is to build connections with citizens of other countries in hopes of promoting and maintaining relationships for the long-term, then JET can surely be counted as a success.
