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Earlier this summer, the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme or JET Programme, sent a new group of English language teachers to Japan, including several former Å·ÃÀ¿Ú±¬ÊÓƵ graduate and undergraduate students. Officially incorporated in 1987, the JET Programme now draws thousands of teachers, educational administrators, and community outreach specialists from forty different countries around the world for the purposes of promoting English language education and international exchange in Japan. Teachers affiliated with the JET Programme work at all different levels of schooling, including primary school, middle school, and high school, giving Japanese students the opportunity to learn English language directly from native speakers, while other participants work as Coordinators for International Relations, assisting in government offices across the country and providing important services including translation/interpretation, event planning, and community outreach. The Programme also boasts an impressive alumni network of approximately 29,000 members spread out across 16 different countries who assist in organizing the interview process for new members and promote professional and cultural exchange with Japan.

Last November, the program officially celebrated its 30th anniversary with a ceremony in Tokyo which was attended by their Imperial Highnesses, the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan. At the ceremony, Tamotsu Okamoto, the chair person of the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) gave an address on the history of the JET Programme and some of its major achievements: 

"It began as a grassroots exchange programme with 848 participants from four countries, and it has grown impressively in the years since then. This year, there are 4,952 participants from 40 countries. Over the past 30 years, the programme has grown to become one of the largest exchange programmes of its kind anywhere in the world. In total, approximately 65,000 people from 65 countries have taken part. There have been a number of tragedies over the past 30 years of the programme. Five years ago, two participants from the United States lost their lives in the Great East Japan Earthquake. On that occasion, many JET participants and alumni from around the world showed their support for the affected disaster areas and for Japan as a whole by volunteering and contributing to charity relief funds. We also had new JET participants who volunteered to be assigned to the disaster areas because they wanted to support and encourage Japan in its time of hardship. In this way, JET Programme participants have formed strong ties with people in regions all over Japan, and performed a vital role in supporting the country. (...) This milestone marks the beginning of a new chapter and we strive to contribute to a better future for Japan and the rest of the world."

Here's to another thirty years of international exchange and education!

For Mr. Okamoto's full remarks and for more information on the JET Programme, please visit their website .