Home Community New JET Ambassadors for Japan

New JET Ambassadors for Japan

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.

JETプログラム壮行会 新たに 35 人、国際交流に力

JETプログラム(外国青年招致事業)の参加者が渡航を翌日に控えた22 日、大村昌弘総領事公邸で行われた壮行会に出席した。シアトルからは35人が参加する。

今年で30回目を迎える同プログラムの参加者数は、世界65カ国から6万2千人を超える。外国語指導助手(ALT)、国際交流員(CIR)、スポーツ国際交流員として日本各地に赴任、文化交流や外国語教育の普及などを通し、地域レベルの国際化推進の役割を担う。

日系の参加者としては、シアトル大学卒のマヤ・ラールさんが新潟県に赴任する。ワ州日本文JETプログラム壮行会新たに35 人、国際交流に力化会館で日本文化に親しんできた経験に加え、去年上智大学で交換留学をしていたこともあり、日本で働くことにさほど緊張していない様子だった。「子どもに教えるのが楽しみ」と意気込みを話す。

壮行会に出席した兵庫県ワシントン州事務所の河知秀晃所長によると、兵庫県では公立高校すべてにネイティブの英語教員がいるという。兵庫からも日本語教師が派遣され、草の根レベルでの国際交流が行われている。

JETプログラムの任用期間は1年間。最長で5年まで延長することができる。

(大間   千奈美)

Previous articleThe Japanese Peruvian Community of Chicago
Next articleObon
N.A.P Staff
The North American Post is a community newspaper that celebrates Japanese culture in the Greater Seattle area. Founded by 1st generation Japanese-Americans in 1902, the publication is one of the oldest minority-owned newspapers in the region. Today, with bilingual articles in English and Japanese, the publication connects readers with diverse cultural backgrounds to Seattle’s Japanese community. Our articles include local news, event calendars, restaurant reviews, Japanese cooking recipes, community interviews, and more.