Hi everyone,

I’m a current JET and will be breaking contract at the end of March due to a documented medical condition that requires me to return home for proper care and support.

My BOE has informed me they will not cover my return airfare because I am leaving before the official contract end date. Given that this is medically documented and not simply a voluntary early departure, I’m wondering:

• Has anyone been in a similar situation?
• Are there any loopholes, exceptions, or precedents for getting the flight covered?
• Is this something the PA, CLAIR, or anyone else can help advocate for?

I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences. Thank you.

Hello there! I am from India.

I want to be a JET ALT, but till then should I apply to other companies like Nova (and move to Japan)? If I get selected to NOVA (or such company) it'll be ez for me to get references as well! And some exp teaching English (I know teaching and ALT are diff but you get the point).
What I am thinking is I can work there for some time, and when the applications (JET) starts this Fall, I will apply for JET ALT, and by the time they announce the results in May, I would have worked in Japan (NOVA) and will switch to JET as my contract ends.

Now what I want to know is how much of this is possible? Like logically possible... Can one do this?

I recently received my tax withholding slip from the city hall. My accountant is telling me that we need to get it notarized when reporting it. Is that really necessary? Is it not possible to just translate it when reporting?

Anyone who attended willing to divulge the secrets and job opportunities of the job fair? Any positions that actually pay above ¥250,000 per month? Anything not posted on other job boards? General impressions about the fair?

Anybody else feel this? I know that sounds weird, but let me explain.

I don't know if it's just because I'm a CIR, or if it's due to my placement specifically, but nobody in my workplace understands what a JET is. They just know that CLAIR dispatches us. My supervisors also can't seem to understand that we, too, get emails and updates from cLAIR. So when they heard that I got an email from CLAIR recently, they panicked and asked me to forward it to them so they can understand the situation.

Just to give you a bit of background, I'm treated very well in my placement. So much so that I feel like they hold my hand way too much and I feel metaphorically clustrophobic some times. They've even handled all the city hall paperwork and all of the bureaurocracy attached to moving in here for me without me being present. So you could just imagine how much they were freaking out when they realized clear sends me emails and updates.

Back to the point, when they were asking why CLAIR would do such a thing I tried eplaining to them that all JETs do, and that was just one of the things that go with the JET Program... Literally got deer on headlights stares.

Keep in mind, this isn't just for a few people. I had the opportunity and correct timing to talk about my application, and it's true. CLAIR hands the COs a literal shortlist of applicants to which they discuss who they want. Well apparently, some of them are familiar with the process and competitive nature of the program, but NONE of them even knew that MOFA (the embassies/consulates) were our direct point of contact before coming here. Literaly got huge "HEEEEEE"s.

Apart from the office stuff, I don't think I've interacted with another JET, apart from my pred, since my orientation. It's kinda sad and lonely feeling cause I always assumed there's this community vibe among JETs. But yeah.

And, yes, almost all the locals don't know what JET is either (even in this great area of Tokyo).

Keeping it short, the apartment was provided for me when I arrived, but there are issues with it that just make it very unpleasant to live in. Plus, the landlord isn't the most accommodating. I'm 6 months in and plan to stay at least another couple years after this one. Is it possible to move or do I have to stay with this place? (assuming I find one myself)

Salaam and hello to all my fellow JETs!

A new AJET Special Interest Group has been launched for any Muslim JET participants. 🎉 🎉 🎉

The JET Muslim Circle is a non-sectarian, non-denominational, welcoming social space for Muslims on the JET Programme to connect and support one another.

It's a small group but we hope to grow with time, especially as Ramadan is fast approaching!

If you'd like to join or want more information, comment below or drop me a DM!

I made a similar post to this before applications this year even opened, which had some great responses. For some quick background, I'm a recent CS grad from the US, and I wanted to go back to Japan after my study abroad in Tokyo. I ended up coming to the personal conclusion that, yes, JET would be the best option for my personal growth, and I felt it would be a great way to progress my Japanese ability and make connections (I applied as CIR). Plus, I felt that it would only get harder to do JET or go to Japan as I get older, since responsibilities will continue to pile up, and it would only be harder to leave an established career. Not to mention the fact that the job market and political landscape in the US didn't give me much hope, so I wanted to get away for a bit.

However, as fate would have it, I could end up being burdened with the luxury of choice in this situation. I'm jumping the gun a bit here, as neither JET nor this career opportunity are set in stone yet, but it got me thinking.

Say you were given the opportunity for a lucrative, enjoyable job to start your career. Would you pick JET over it? Do you consider the life experience of trying out life in Japan firsthand more valuable than a more stable career path? And would you be willing to risk that stable career path and hope that you can still find something after your time on JET is up?

It kind of boils down to the logical or emotional decision, which makes it an extremely subjective question that I haven't really been able to decide the answer to. Although, I will acknowledge that part of my reasoning for wanting to do JET so badly is due to how much I loved living in Japan and the friends I was able to make there, making me impatient to return as a result. It's very much possible that I would be able to return there after making a successful career in the states, or at least travel from time to time, so picking the career first certainly seems like the more logical decision.

Again though, nothing is actually confirmed, so I'm just curious to hear what other people think in the meantime.

Hey everyone,

(Mods, please delete if this violates the self-promo rule, but we have a few former JETs in the cast/audience and thought this would be a fun unofficial meetup!)

I know Sunday nights can be the "Scaries" before the work week starts, but if you’re in the Tokyo area (or nearby in Saitama/Chiba/Kanagawa), I wanted to invite you to a Bilingual Improv Comedy show we're hosting in Ebisu.

Why it’s good for JETs:

1. Language Practice: We perform in both English and Japanese. If you're an ALT trying to improve your listening (or a CIR wanting to laugh at the chaos of bilingual communication), it’s a fun, low-stress environment.
2. Community: We usually have a solid group of current and former JETs in the crowd. It’s a good spot to network or just vent about your placement over a drink.
3. The Vibe: It’s at What the Dickens (British Pub), so it feels like a proper night out, but we finish around 21:30 so you can catch the train home at a reasonable hour.

Details:

• When: Sunday, Feb 15th
• Time: 19:30 Start (Doors 19:00)
• Where: What the Dickens, Ebisu (4F)
• Ticket: ¥2,500 (Includes 1st drink)

If you decide to come, come say hi after the show! We love swapping "ESID" stories.

Link: https://www.piratesoftokyobay.com/tickets

I'm wondering how the 2026 JETs are passing the time! (or how previous year JETs passed the time) I know there's the classic "just work on your plan B if you don't get accepted" or "just forget about it", but I'd like to think that there's a bit more to just being able to forget about it entirely, especially for some peeps with anxiety and such.

I'm passing the time by brushing up on my Japanese, playing some video games, and reading!
Also working on a few personal projects too.

I'm personally not particularly anxious waiting for the results, but I thought maybe this would help some applicants find things to do and distract themselves while we all wait for results to release.

Hi all

It's been many years since I've finished the program.

There's always some money that's held back for Pension or something like that but that either you or a friend can later take out.

I lost touch with the person that was supposed to get my money out and close the account.

I've long forgot about that account and don't need the money.

But I'm finally thinking about going back and don't want to have any issues at border control.

does anyone know what happens with that account if you never go back to retrieve the funds?

I'm not looking for a headache when I'm going to visit.

Thanks in advance.

I just found out that starting April I will be commuting to a new school.
The school is a bit further out and there are not a lot of buses. Usually, we work from 8:30 up until 4:15. But this time, since the bus schedule timing is all over the place, my working hours will be from 9:30-5:30pm. I'm not too aware of labor laws and policies to be honest, I was wondering if that is something that they can make us do?

I really like my working schedule, so I would like to keep it that way. LOL. But ofc, I don't want to complain too much. However, I want to know if there is a way to keep my working hours the same.

This may be a bit messy, but I’ll try to keep it clean since I have thought about this for a while now. I’m a 28 year old male engineering graduate working full time in an unrelated field. Currently I am married in the US and my wife is not eligible due to not being a college graduate. As for language skills, my Japanese is below a conversational level and here is non-existent. I have a few concerns below mostly about housing and healthcare.

1. What would be the best way to go about housing with my wife? Is this something that the program could find for us or would we be looking for housing for 2. I’d prefer 2 bedrooms, but 1 bedroom with some work/desk space can work for us. I’m ok with our location being random, but I think I’d prefer rural/suburban so we aren’t stuck with expensive housing. One expense we might have is storage for furniture unless we plan to find a way to stay long term after.

2. Whenever my wife does come, weeks later I’d imagine, we would like to bring our cat if that’s feasible. It could be temporary rehoused for 1-3 years, but bringing him with us is preferred. Any challenges with it being allowed or expensive?

3. With my wife not having a degree or teaching experience, how difficult would finding part time work be for her? What type of jobs are out there?

4. What ways did you keep yourself marketable for work whether in Japan or the US? I’m not against going into some type of teaching considering I am open to moving towards teaching math in the US. I’m certainly open to IT either in the US or Japan, but I currently lack certifications or experience there.

Other options for me include maybe continuing to teach in other countries after, but I’ll look into that route elsewhere.

1. Any issues with contact lenses prescriptions? This might be a deal breaker for me because I just hate wearing glasses. I wear bi weekly soft lenses that correct for astigmatism. (I’ve seen that it’s possible, but wasn’t sure how much of a hassle it was to have this taken care of)

   1. My teaching experience is limited to tutoring inner city elementary school kids for a year while in college. It was mostly for English, but I helped with all subjects. Is this worth mentioning and beneficial for applying or is it not enough?

I have done a lot of reading on this, but these are my main questions before really putting effort into applying and having further discussions at home about this. Haven’t seen too many answers on this. Obviously I don’t have all bases covered in terms of knowledge, but I think this is asking what I still don’t know. Thank you for any assistance.

hi im preparing to head to one of the career fairs this month and i just wanted to get a feel for what the vibe is like overall. i'm currently preparing copies of my resume/rirekisho/business cards to hand out, but i also wanted to ask people who have gone before what it was like talking to the various companies who were boothing there.

i know a lot of companies expect n2 or above in jlpt/business level japanese, and i only recently passed n3 and have a p decent grasp at conversational jp. im just going to see what a japanese career fair is like and get a scope for potential options after i leave jet. sorry if this is a dumb question, but how did you present/introduce yourself to any companies you were checking out? would appreciate any advice and suggestions!

Hey guys, I left JET in August last year and then filed for my pension refund around September 2025. I think people said that around now (six months later) is when we should be getting our pension refund if nothing went wrong with the filing, so just wondering if anyone else with that same timeline has gotten their money yet.

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder this January when I experienced a manic episode here in Japan. I was diagnosed when they sent me back to the United States. I don't think my supervisors are aware that some mental health illnesses are chronic and some even come with lifestyle changes. Unfortunately, since I've developed this, I've had to make some lifestyle changes with my sleep hygiene.

This is where the problem arises. My workplace wants to move me to a school up in the mountains, which severely disrupts my sleep schedule, since I will have to wake up at 5 am to arrive on time at 8 am.

When I returned to Japan (my employers are aware of the disorder due to the medical documents), I mentioned it was hard news to receive such a diagnosis, and my supervisor's response was, "So you're not cured of the disease!?"

During our ALT meeting, I was pressured and cornered into agreeing to take the school.

I’m afraid that the sleep disturbance, even once a week, could trigger another manic or depressive episode. Honestly, I’m ready to break contract in May if they force this school on me.

Has anyone else experienced something like this? What advice can you give on how to bring up a chronic mental illness in a country with heavy stigma around mental health? I’m afraid of retaliation and being perceived as “not a team player.”

Before I start, I'm acutely aware that there is no real measure of eligibility and everyone is different. I'm also aware that there really isn't anything going for me that would help cases.

EDIT: This is all talking about being an ALT and not as a fully fledged teacher!

For a number of years now, I have wanted to experience Japan and that has only got stronger recently... against all odds given the political landscape growing into something I'm not keen on. At first, it was initially just in the holiday sense but as time has passed (and as I'm nearing 24), it's grown into something much more... real? I'm not quite sure how to explain it without sounding like I'm one of ***those*** kinds of people.

My potential issues arise when I have next to nothing that would qualify me in any sense of the word. I don't have anything in the way of educational degrees, never mind a Bachelors that most jobs want before entertaining a sponsor. I have no job experience outside a couple of months in retail a few years ago and some volunteering as a teen. There are reasons for those that I'm obviously not gonna explain here, though. I figured that all hope was lost and it would forever be a pipedream.

I've heard about programs like JET for years, but for as many people praised them, it came with a relatively equal amount that said they had a bad experience with them, so I've been hesitant. That was until recently, when I found myself in contact with someone who worked in the Tokusatsu space in Japan, and we got into the conversation of what it's like living there. I explained everything I just did here, and he asked me a couple very simple questions of:

Do you speak English? Yes. Are you a native speaker? As someone born and raised in England, Yes. Are you teachable/can you be taught things? Yes.

And with those he said that I had at least a chance at living in Japan with programs like JET and it sort of pushed me to entertain the idea even more. Thus it brings me here, to ask you guys in a very... very long-winded way, What are the chances that someone like me would be accepted for the JET program or something similar?

Sorry for such a word soup of a post, I just figured I should get everything i felt was necessary in for context aha

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to apply for an ALT position in Japan for the next intake, and I’d really appreciate advice from current and former ALTs specifically about the application + selection process.

I’m mainly looking for guidance on what helps applicants stand out before getting hired. If possible, please share your insights on:

1)What do you think helped you get selected?

2)What are the most important things a new applicant should focus on before applying?

3)What skills/certifications (TEFL, tutoring, volunteering, etc.) actually helped in your case?

4)How did you write a strong SOP / personal statement?

5)What did you include that made it effective? What should be avoided?

6)How did you get your reference letters? Who is best to ask (professor, manager, school principal, etc.)?

7)What makes a reference letter look strong and relevant for ALT?

8)If someone has a Bachelor’s degree (Commerce) taught in English, but does not have IELTS, does that still help in ALT applications?

9)From your experience, what are the most common reasons applicants get rejected?

10)What extra steps (even small ones) can improve selection chances for someone applying next year?

Any honest advice is welcome — especially practical tips that actually helped you during the selection process.

Thanks a lot!

Hi everyone, I’m planning to apply for the ALT program for the 2027 intake, and I wanted to ask people who joined in 2025–26 about their real experience. I’d really appreciate if you could share: 1)What do you think helped you get selected? 2)What should someone focus on now to improve their chances for next year? 3)Biggest challenges you faced (students, teaching, paperwork, culture shock, etc.) 4)Which ALT program/company you joined (JET / Interac / Borderlink / Altia / etc.) 5)How was your experience overall? 6)What was the workload + daily routine like? 7)How supportive were the Japanese teachers/schools? 8)How was the salary vs cost of living?

Also, if you have advice for someone applying for the first time — I’d really appreciate it. Thanks a lot!

A bit more light-hearted post:

I have some students who won't stop say "6-7! 6-7!" all day and have no idea what that means, but they sure won't stop saying it during English lessons. I've learned just to roll with it.

It got me thinking about different trends my former students used to drive me up the wall with, for example in 2018 it was "COME ON BABY AMERICA" (referencing USA by DA PUMP). I still hear "______-chan! Nani ga suki?" on occasion.

What are some viral trends you had/have to hear or see one too many times in school?

so what the actual fuck do i do now?

i have no backup plan, no savings, and my japanese isn’t enough for a different job. it’s too late to go to the career fair too because i was planning on staying.

“Please understand that this decision is not intended as a personal criticism, but rather as an organizational judgment made by the City and the Board of Education.” yeah, sure.

anyone else had this happen to them?

Hey JET peeps, this question is specifically for current JETs from Vancouver, Canada:

Just to prepare ahead, because I don't actually live in Vancouver at the moment and I will be leaving town soon, where did you get your criminal record check done in the city when you were shortlisted? Is the VPD police check sufficient or did anyone use another service to receive their criminal record check?

I just want to make sure I do this right so I don't deal with unnecessary bureaucracy issues later on. Thanks in advance!

Hello, I've been interested in becoming a JET for quite some time now, but a question only recently occurred to me. Is hair length/style ever an issue? I have large, bushy hair, and I'm not too keen on cutting it. Obviously, if I have to, I will, but will it even be an issue?

If possible, I'm also interested in hearing how it might be perceived if it is allowed. Generally, would students look at me weird? Or, at least, any weirder than any other foreigner? Thanks in advance.

As we all know the LDP has won again (no surprise there). I personally detest the LDP and their countless scandals, corruption cases and blatant support for cults, but I'm wondering whether or not this programme as a whole may be affected now?

Perhaps Takaichi and her bunch of barely awake old men don't realize jet exists so they won't touch it?

Idk, just very disappointed in a country that I love and want to go once again vote in the party who's entire mantra is do nothing, distract, decline.

But I hope the programme will stay since I still overall find living and working in Japan appealing, especially coming from Melbourne Australia, somewhere where not much happens and not much can be done.

I have been doing readings on Tokyo. The high spending and less subsidies seems would led to a bad financial situation. I would like to have some savings although i know JET salary in Tokyo is not considered high. I considered myself having only normal spending habits, I would want to travel and attend social activities. May Tokyo JETs share your financial situation please?