The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme welcomed a total of 47 Filipinos - 46 Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs); and one coordinator for International Relations (CIR) ? to participate in its annual programme for 2022.

The selected Filipino JETs are scheduled to fly to Japan on August 14. Prior to their flight, the participants engaged in a series of activities aimed at preparing them for their duties in Japan.

The number of JET participants has been increasing since it started in 2014, and cumulatively we have over 250 participants in total.

On July 15, Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko hosted a send-off reception for the participants to his residence.

The first send-off receptions since 2019, Koshikawa congratulated the participants and shared his hopes for the program’s growth. He stated in this speech, “Promoting mutual trust and internationalization, participants become cultural ambassadors that bridge Japan to their home nations. Filipino JETs do so well in this aspect, consistently paving avenues for stronger linkages between Japan and the Philippines.”

Earlier the same day, the participants visited the Manila Japanese School (MJS) in Taguig City. They had the opportunity to observe English classes and met with Filipino English teachers. Both sides had a fruitful exchange of views on teaching techniques and Japanese classroom practices.

In addition, the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) in cooperation with the JET Alumni Association of the Philippines (JETAA-PHL) held a virtual pre-departure orientation for the participants on July 30 .

Aimed at preparing the incoming JETs for life in Japan, the participants received essential resource materials and learned more about Japanese society and culture in relation to their role as ALTs and CIR.

The JET Programme was launched by the Government of Japan in 1987 in the hope of deepening mutual understanding between the people of Japan and those of other countries through foreign language exchange and cultural immersion

Since its inception, around 5,761 participants from 57 countries (as of 2019) have already been admitted to the programme. In the next few years, the programme hopes to bring in even more participants from across the globe, including the Philippines, to Japan.

To learn more about the JET programme, please visit its official website at http://www.jetprogramme.org/. Japan Information and Culture Center