The Japanese Exchange and Teaching program is a Japanese government program founded in 1987 with the goal of promoting international exchange in Japanese schools, primarily through inviting people from around the world to teach in the Japanese school system.

The JET Program hires three types of positions: the Assistant Language Teacher (ALT), the Coordinator for International Relations (CIR), and the Sports Exchange Advisor (SEA).

The Assistant Language Teacher is the most common of the three positions-over 90% of JET participants are ALTs. ALTs are placed in elementary schools, junior high schools and high schools to teach English, although there is a very small minority of ALTs who teach other languages such as French. The work environment and responsibilities of the ALT vary, but in most cases, the ALT works with a Japanese Teacher of English (JTE) to teach and develop the curriculum.

The Coordinator for International Relations operates under a local city or prefectural government office. As with the ALT, the responsibilities of the CIR vary, and can include activities such as translating documents and organizing sister-city relationships. CIRs must have the Japanese fluency to function in a Japanese working environment.
The Sports Exchange Advisor, according to one JET website, engages in “international exchange through sports” Each SEA has a sport specialty, ranging from handball to rugby.

Applications for participation for the following year are due in December. Applicants are notified from late January to early February whether they have made the second round interview, which occurs shortly after notification. Near April, applicants are notified whether they have been accepted to the program. Placements are decided by the JET Program, and although you can specify location preferences, you aren’t guaranteed being placed according to your preferences. Once you are notified of your placement, if you decide not to participate in the program, you are barred from applying again. After acceptance, a number of training and orientation sessions are held until the August departure.