CLAIR News May 2025

Important

Response to Safety Confirmation during Earthquakes and Emergencies (Safety Confirmation System)

In the event of a disaster, CLAIR will confirm the safety of JET Programme participants using the Safety Confirmation System (Emergency Call). Confirming your safety via email takes only a few moments. Please respond to safety confirmation emails promptly to avoid delays in confirming the safety of every JET Programme participant in the affected area(s). In addition, if your information has changed, please update your information as soon as possible.

Safety Confirmation Registration

https://asp2.emc-call.jp/clair/index_en.html or https://asp2.emc-call2nd.jp/clair/index_en.html
Login: The final nine digits of your JET number, without the first two digits (20).
Password: Same as above
(If your contracting organisation has changed, please register your new address right away.)

Emergency warnings are issued throughout Japan each year. In addition, life in Japan brings risk of large-scale earthquakes and other natural disasters. When these events occur, embassies and consulates may contact CLAIR to confirm JET Programme participants’ safety. CLAIR responds based on information from the Safety Confirmation System. In addition to prompt response during emergencies, we ask for JET Programme participants’ and supervisors’ cooperation in confirming registration and understanding of response methods.

Additional Notes:

Safety confirmation requests are sent out based on registered host prefecture or designated city. You may receive a confirmation check even if you are not physically near the affected area. Please still respond in these cases.
We cannot conduct safety checks by phone.
Prefectural advisors and supervisors who wish to conduct a Safety Confirmation System drill/simulation may contact CLAIR to request one.

Emergency Pocket Guide for JET Programme Participants

To ensure your safety in Japan, please take the time to prepare in case a disaster occurs.

CLAIR has compiled an Emergency Pocket Guide for reference in the event of a disaster. Please fill out the important portions and keep the guide with you, as a disaster can occur at any time.
Note: CLAIR also distributes the Emergency Pocket Guide during orientation for new arrivals.

URL: https://jetprogramme.org/en/emergency-support/

Contact Information Survey Registration

CLAIR requires registration of email address to make use of online training services offered to JET Programme participants. Please ensure up-to-date registration via the following link.

Contact Information Survey (Used for non-emergency outreach): https://goo.gl/u1gVT2
Login ID: JET number (11 digits beginning with 20)
Password: Date of birth (YYYYMMDD)

Note: For JET Programme participants who were originally scheduled to arrive in Japan in 2020 or 2021, please use your pre-arrival JET number that starts with 2020 or 2021.

Mental Health Support Resources

Subsidy Application Deadline: Wednesday, 1 April 2026

CLAIR offers the JET Programme Mental Health Counselling Assistance Programme with the aim of enhancing mental health support for JET Programme participants. This Programme provides a partial subsidy (50%, up to 30,000 yen per year) for counselling costs incurred through consultation with mental health professionals not covered by health insurance.

The coverage period for this year is from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. Application documents for the subsidy should be submitted through contracting organisations and arrive at CLAIR no later than Wednesday, 1 April 2026.
Important: Please be aware that any applications CLAIR receives after the 1 April 2026 deadline will not be eligible for the subsidy.

JET Programme participants can also benefit from free counselling offered by CLAIR via email and Video Call. (via Microsoft Teams)

If you wish to use these services, please access them using the URL below, input the ID/password, and follow the instructions for registration. Up to seven video-call sessions are available between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026. We recommend starting with email, which has no limits on usage.

Web mail and video call counselling

Website: https://jetcounseling.com/
Username: jet
(Please check the email edition of CLAIR News for the latest password.)

General Information Handbook

Every year, CLAIR updates the General Information Handbook for JET Programme participants. Please be sure to refer to it whenever you have questions regarding living in Japan or JET Programme policies.

URL: https://jetprogramme.org/en/gih

News / Updates

Call for Panellists at the ALT Post-Arrival Orientation Panel Discussion

Application Deadline: 9 June 2025

CLAIR is currently looking for ALT participants to speak as panellists, offering insights and advice to new JET Programme Participants ALTs at the ALT Post-Arrival Orientation Panel Discussion.

Eligibility: Current ALTs
Dates:
① Tuesday, 29 July 2025
② Tuesday, 5 August 2025
Venue: Keio Plaza Hotel, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Please ask your contracting organisation for further details about the application process. Please note that the notification from CLAIR was sent on 15 May 2025, so it may take some time for participants to receive this information directly.

Call for Presenters at the Summer CIR Post-Arrival Orientation

Application Deadline: 30 May 2025

CLAIR kindly invites current CIRs to present about CIR work at the upcoming Summer Post-Arrival Orientation!

Details

Eligibility: Current CIRs
Dates:
① Monday, 28 July or Tuesday, 29 July
② Monday, 4 August or Tuesday, 5 August
Venue: Keio Plaza Hotel, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Themes (Please choose one; you may apply several times for different themes):

Lectures/School visits
Managing Public Relations
Event Planning
Free Theme

Additional Notes

Each presentation lasts for 45 minutes including a Q&A session and is conducted entirely in Japanese.
You may apply for either dates ① or ②, but priority will be given to applicants who are available for both dates.
The date and time of the presentation is determined based on the chosen theme and will be communicated to selected applicants at a later date.
Please ask your contracting organisation supervisor for more details about the application process.

Japanese Language Courses (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced)

Deadline for July Intake: 20 June 2025

Important update about the Japanese language courses

CLAIR’s Japanese language course has been renewed. If you haven’t signed up for the new course, please do so through the following application form:
URL: https://forms.office.com/r/HeW382TWwN

Applications received before the 20th of any month will allow you to start the course starting from the 1st of the following month. Your login credentials will be sent via email. Please make sure to allow emails from addresses ending in “@attainj.co.jp”.

Live Tutorial Session

Following a change in the provider of the course, the following tutorial session is planned to show new students around the platform. Information about the session will be sent via email to anyone who signed up for the course.

Date and Time: Monday, 2 June 2025 between 19:00–20:00
How to attend: A Zoom link will be sent to all applicants for the May intake

For more detailed information about the course, be sure to check the JET Programme website.
URL: https://jetprogramme.org/en/languagecourses/

Regarding unit deadlines

Each unit should be completed within one month to ensure the course is finished in a reasonable timeframe. However, you are responsible for attending the course at a reasonable pace.
Note: Questions about course content (grammar, vocabulary, etc.) may be submitted through the course provider website. A Japanese instructor will answer them. Please note that responses may take a few days.

Enrolment into the 2024–2025 Translation and Interpretation (Online) Course – Spring Session

Application Deadline: 26 May 2025

CLAIR holds an online course for JET Programme participants to improve their translation and interpretation skills. The course is available in English, Chinese, and Korean.

Please understand that this course is intended to enhance translation and interpretation skills and is not a Japanese language course. For this reason, we advise applicants to already have a high command (corresponding to level N2 and above of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) of the Japanese language before applying.

Before applying, we ask you to consult the demo materials to get an idea of the course level.

Finally, please understand that completion of this course is a prerequisite to applying to this year’s 2025–2026 Translation and Interpretation (In-Person) Course, to be held later this year. Completion of a previous year’s online course will also be recognised.

CLAIR has sent a course notification to each contracting organisation. For more details, please contact your contracting organisation’s supervisor.

【Apply Now】About the 2025 JET Programme Internship

Application Deadline: 1 June 2025

We are pleased to announce that the 2025 JET Programme Internship will be held this August. This internship provides current JET participants with a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on work experience at a Japanese company.

Schedule: Sunday, 17 August – Friday, 22 August 2025
Note(1): An orientation session will take place on the afternoon of Sunday, 17 August.
Note(2): The internship will be conducted primarily in person.

Working Language: Japanese will be the main language used throughout the internship period.

Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must:

Be interested in seeking employment in Japan following the completion of the JET Programme
Obtain permission from their contracting organisation to participate
Have Japanese language ability equivalent to JLPT N2 or higher, and be able to carry out tasks in Japanese
Be available for the full duration of the internship
Commit to participation (withdrawals after applying will not be accepted)
Understand that internships are not part of their official JET duties and will require using annual leave and covering all travel expenses themselves

For further details, including additional eligibility conditions, please refer to the following link:
URL: https://jetprogramme.org/en/jetinternship/

How to Apply: Please apply using the link below:
URL: https://forms.office.com/r/B6Si9Tq7ee

Application Deadline: Sunday, 1 June, 23:59 (JST)

We look forward to receiving your applications!

Grant for TEFL/TESOL Certification

Details for the 2025–2026 TEFL/TESOL Certification Grant have been posted on the JET Programme website and sent to contracting organisations. Details are available on the page below.
URL: https://jetprogramme.org/en/tefl/

For questions, please use CLAIR’s grant-specific email address: grant@clair.or.jp

General Information

Period of Stay and Status of Residence Renewal

To JET Programme participants who arrived in summer:

It might be time to extend your period of stay, so please check the dates written on your residence card (especially JET Programme participants in their third year who will be reappointed for another term).

For information on extending your period of stay or changing your status of residence, please refer to the Section 2.6 Status of Residence in the General Information Handbook　(GIH).
GIH: https://jetprogramme.org/en/gih/

Information for JET Programme Participants Ending their Term of Appointment

JET Programme participants finishing their appointments in 2025 should refer to CLAIR’s online After JET Guide for information about how to prepare for their successor, move out of their apartment, deal with reverse culture shock, or prepare for their next career move.

If you are finishing your term of appointment on the JET Programme this year and returning to your home country, please make sure you discuss travel arrangements with your contracting organisation as early as possible.
URL: https://jetprogramme.org/en/ajg/

Update: In addition, the information shared during the 2024–2025 JET Programme Leavers Seminar held on 29th January may also be helpful in your preparations. Please see the link below for a recording and other materials.
URL: https://jetprogramme.org/en/current/leavers/seminar/r6/
(Please refer to the email version of CLAIR News for the password)

Lump-Sum Pension Withdrawal Payment

JET Programme participants finishing their term of appointment and returning to their home countries may be eligible to receive a pension refund (lump-sum withdrawal payment).
For more information, please refer to pp. 190–199 of the General Information Handbook　(GIH).
GIH: https://jetprogramme.org/en/gih/

Information is also available in English and Japanese on the following website:
URL: https://www.nenkin.go.jp/international/english/index.html

Embassy Information for JET Programme Participants

CLAIR maintains a webpage on the JET Programme website for embassies in Japan to post information for JET Programme participants from their country. Please check this page regularly for updates.
URL: https://jetprogramme.org/en/embassyinformation/

Please note that CLAIR does not bear responsibility for information provided through this page. For enquiries regarding specific information, please contact the embassy in question directly.

Registering with your Embassy

All JET Programme participants are strongly advised to register with their home country’s embassy or local consulate and/or through their embassy-run travel registration system while living in Japan. Your embassy may be able to help you and your relatives obtain necessary information and check on each other’s safety in times of emergency. Please check the website of your home country’s embassy or local consulate for more details.
URL: https://www.mofa.go.jp/about/emb_cons/protocol/index.html

Home Country Taxes

Personal tax affairs in one’s home country are the responsibility of each JET Programme participant. Be sure to obtain and keep your gensen chōshūhyō, or Statement of Earnings, from your contracting organisation, as this may be necessary for filing your taxes abroad. Please refer to the General Information Handbook　(GIH) for more details.

URL: https://jetprogramme.org/en/gih

Enrolment in Property Insurance

Is your house or apartment covered by property insurance (kasai hoken)? If you do not know, please check with your contracting organisation supervisor.

There have been several cases where JET Programme participants were forced to pay for damages to not only their own but also their neighbours’ housing when there were water leaks or other problems. (If a water leak occurs, damage to the property of neighbours is covered by the JET Accident Insurance Policy Liability Endorsement, but damage to your own property, as well as damage to the structure or building, can only be covered by property insurance.)

Whether or not to purchase property insurance is the choice of the JET Programme participant. However, if found liable for damages, the costs can be very high. Therefore, CLAIR recommends that participants enrol in property insurance.

Although the majority of JET Programme participants live in rental properties, earthquake insurance may also be taken to account for the cost of lost household items, such as personal computers or TVs. Therefore, please take care to research a suitable form of insurance for your situation.

JET Programme Official Social Media

CLAIR regularly shares information of interest to both current and former JET Programme participants on the following social media platforms. Be sure to follow us to stay informed about upcoming opportunities and updates!

LinkedIn: https://jp.linkedin.com/company/japan-exchange-and-teaching-program-me-jet

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jet_programme/

X: https://x.com/JET_Programme