New JET Program participants. Photo courtesy of Offical JET Program USA.
By Chinami Daima
The North American Post
The JET program sendoff reception was held on July 22 at Masahiro Omura’s official residence, gathering 35 program participants and community representatives. This is the 30th group of the program since it started in 1987. Over 62,000 participants from 65 countries have worked in Japan as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs), Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) or Sports Exchange Advisors (SEA). The participants contributed to internationalization through cultural exchange and foreign language education.
Maya Lall, a Nikkei (Japanese American) participant, will work in Nigata Prefecture. She said that she does not feel nervous in her new career in Japan since she has experienced Japanese culture at the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington and also studied for one semester at Sophia University in Japan.
“I’m excited to teach kids,” said Lall, a Seattle University graduate.
According to Hideaki Kawachi, executive director of Hyogo Business and Cultural Center, each public high school in Hyogo Prefecture has at least one native English-speaking teacher. Japanese teachers from Hyogo also come to Washington for Japanese education at local schools to join the grassroots network.
The JET Program participants, who left for Japan on July 23, will work for a local government or educational institution for at least one year. They can extend up to a maximum of five years.