CLAIR News December 2023
General Information
- Reappointment Procedures
- TEFL/TESOL Certification Grant
- Japanese Language Courses (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced)
- Embassy Information for JET Programme Participants
- Registering with Your Embassy
- Lump-Sum Pension Withdrawal Payment
- Enrolment in Property Insurance
- Home Country Taxes
- ALT, CIR and SEA Handbooks
Registration for the Safety Confirmation System (Emergency Call) and Contact Information Survey for JET Participants
CLAIR requests that each JET Programme participant register for the Safety Confirmation System (Emergency Call) and Contact Information Survey. These are two separate systems. Please register to both using the links below.
Safety Confirmation System:
https://asp2.emc-call.jp/clair/index_en.html or
https://asp2.emc-call2nd.jp/clair/index_en.html
Your login ID and password are both the final nine numbers of your JET Number, omitting the first two digits (20).
*If your contracting organisation has changed, please register your new address.
Contact Information Survey: https://goo.gl/u1gVT2
Login ID: JET Number (11 digits beginning with 20)
Password: Date of birth (YYYYMMDD)
*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.
Emergency Pocket Guide for JET Programme Participants
To ensure your safety in Japan, please take the opportunity to ensure that you are prepared in case a disaster occurs.
CLAIR has compiled an Emergency Pocket Guide for reference in the event of a disaster. Please keep it with you at all times. Please ensure that you fill out the important parts and keep it with you in case of a disaster.
*CLAIR distributes the Emergency Pocket Guide during orientation for new arrivals.
Response to Safety Confirmation during Emergencies
In the event of a disaster CLAIR will confirm the safety of JET Programme participants using the Safety Confirmation System (Emergency Call). It only takes a few moments to confirm your safety via the email you receive. Please make sure you respond regarding your safety situation when a safety confirmation email arrives, as it otherwise takes time for Host Prefectures/Designated Cities to confirm the safety of each individual JET Programme participant in the affected area(s).
In any given year in Japan, there will be somewhere which has had an emergency warning issued. The country is also prone to large earthquakes. At the moment, Japan is entering a period of increased chance for emergency warnings to be issued due to increased rain and typhoons. Because of this, we are asking JET Programme participants and supervisors at each contracting organisation to confirm information registered with the Safety Confirmation System and to check how to respond to a safety confirmation request should an email arrive. If you receive a safety confirmation request email, please respond to it right away.
Safety Confirmation requests are sent out based on Host Prefecture/Designated City, so participants may receive safety confirmation requests even when they are not physically near the site of a disaster. In this case, a response is still required from each individual to whom the request is sent.
Mental Health Support Resources
With the aim of enhancing mental health support for JET Programme participants, CLAIR offers the JET Programme Mental Health Counselling Assistance Programme. 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 2023 to 31 March 2024. Documents for the subsidy should be submitted through Contracting Organisations until 5 April 2024. Since there is a high volume of applications in March and April, please kindly submit the documents in advance.
JET Programme participants can also receive free counselling offered by CLAIR via Web Mail and Skype. If you wish to use these services, please access them using the URLs below, input the ID/password, and follow the instructions for registration. Up to seven Skype sessions are available between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024. We recommend starting with web mail, which has no limits on usage.
Web Mail and Skype Counselling
Website: https://jetcounseling.com/
Login Information:
Username: jet
(Please check the email edition of CLAIR News for the latest password.)
JET Programme Career Vision Conference
CLAIR held its first JET Programme Career Vision Conference (formerly part of the After JET Conference) on November 18–19 (Sat. –Sun.). We were joined by 31 alumni panellists across 12 industry panels with more than 100 participants per panel. More than 600 participants total registered for the event, which allowed attendees to freely choose which panels they joined.
We hope the conference was useful for attendees, and hope to see more next year. We also hope to see non-recontracting attendees once again for our follow-up After JET Networking and Individual Consultation event in February. (See signup information in article #5, below.)
Event details
https://jetprogramme.org/en/careersupport/
JET Programme Career Support Events – Registration now open!
CLAIR is hosting the following events aimed at providing career support for current and former JETs. Please see event and registration information below. Please check eligibility carefully.
1. Essentials of Job-Hunting in Japan Webinar
A webinar providing information on the job-hunting process in Japan, concrete tips on preparing a Japanese CV, and more.
Eligibility:
JETs who wish to obtain a job in Japan post-JET.
Date/Time:
27 January (Sat), 2024
English: 13:00–15:20
Japanese: 16:00–18:20 (will only be held if requested)
Format: Online (Zoom)
Details:
https://jetprogramme.org/en/careersupport/jobhunting-webinar/
2. After JET Networking and Career Consultations
Continuing on from our November Career Vision Conference, returning panelists, non-recontracting JETs, and alumni gather for industry-specific group networking. 1:1 individual career consultations are available on request.
Eligibility:
Non-recontracting JETs and alumni
Date/Time:
10–11 February (Sat, Sun), 2024
9:00–16:50
Format:
Online (Remo)
Website:
https://jetprogramme.org/en/careersupport
3. Career Fairs
In-person and online career fairs with participating companies.
Eligibility:
Non-recontracting JETs and alumni
Date/Location:
| Osaka |
17 February, 2024 (Sat.) 13:00–16:00 |
Umeda Sky Building–Stella Hall |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo |
25 February, 2024 (Sun.) 13:00–17:00 |
Tokyo Ryutsu Center–Second Exhibition Hall F Hall |
* While it is possible to participate online, we recommend participating in-person.
Participating companies:
The following website will be updated regularly with new company information.
Expired Link
Please register for the event of your choice at the link below:
Expired Link
Deadline: 25 January, 2024 (Thurs.) 23:59 JST
For other enquiries, please contact CLAIR at afterjet@clair.or.jp
Applications to the CIR-CLAIR Opinion Exchange
The 2023–2024 CIR Opinion Exchange, which aims to foster conversation about daily work, will take place on Monday, 26 February 2024. We are seeking around 10 CIRs to take part in the opinion exchange.
Applications closed on 8 December 2023. Notifications will be sent to applicants and their contracting organisations in late December after the selection process.
JET Video Contest – Only one month left!
There is only one month left to submit a video for the JET Video Contest! Videos should show off the unique charms of Japan and connect with one of the three Japanese idioms below.
| 一期 一会 (Ichigo Ichie) |
一生 懸命 (Isshōkenmei) |
花鳥 風月 (Kachōfūgetsu) |
| ‘Once-in-a-lifetime chance’ | ‘Trying as hard as one can’ | ‘The beauties of nature’ |
Creators of exceptional videos will be invited on a trip to Tokyo for an award ceremony in summer 2024, with their flight and accommodation paid for, and have the chance to receive a reward for their work.
Please check the JET Programme website for more details! (https://jetprogramme.org/en/videocontest/)
We are looking forward to your submission!
Deadline: 17 January 2024 (Wed.)
Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) Grant
The 2023–2024 Grant for JLPT is offered to JET Programme participants who have passed the N1, N2, or N3 level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) for either the first or second test of 2023. The grant reimburses the complete testing fee of 7,500 yen.
Details regarding application procedures are available at the link below.
https://jetprogramme.org/en/jlpt/
To apply, please mail the application form and relevant documents to CLAIR so that they arrive by the deadlines below.
| Test | Test Date | Grant Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| First | Sunday, 2 July | Friday, 17 November (closed) |
| Second | Sunday, 3 December | Friday, 15 March 2024 |
Please make sure that all your documents arrive by the above deadlines.
2024–2025 Reappointment Procedures
The time for reappointment procedures has begun. Please talk with friends, family, etc. and consult with your supervisor before making your decision. Changes cannot be made to reappointment decisions after the submission deadline.
All JET Programme participants should receive documentation regarding the reappointment procedures from their contracting organisations. Please read the documents carefully and consult with your supervisor if you have any questions. The reappointment documents will also be made accessible on the JET Programme website after the official notice to contracting organisations. Please refer to the link below.
More information about reappointment can be found in the GIH (pp. 65–69). Please note that the content of the GIH may differ from the reappointment documents provided by your contracting organisation. In that case, please prioritise the content in the documents provided by your contracting organisation.
https://jetprogramme.org/en/gih/https://jetprogramme.org/en/reappointment/ (Please check the email edition of CLAIR News for the latest password.)
Grant for TEFL/TESOL Certification
The second application period for the 2023–2024 Grant for TEFL/TESOL Certification has now closed. All successful applications should have received a notice of eligibility from CLAIR.
Please aim to complete your course and send the Course Completion Report and course certificate so that it arrives at CLAIR by the deadline of Friday, 22 February 2024.
Details regarding the grant are available on the following page: https://jetprogramme.org/en/tefl/
For questions, please use CLAIR’s new grant-specific email address: grant@clair.or.jp
Japanese Language Courses (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced)
You can apply for online Japanese language courses offered by CLAIR.
For the 2023–2024, changes are being made to the format and application process for the JET Programme Japanese language courses. For detailed information, please check out the course guide on the JET Programme website (links below).
http://deli3.study.jp/?multi
http://jetprogramme.org/ja/languagecourses/
Japanese Language Course Application Form:
https://bit.ly/2HfLvpv
Regarding unit deadlines: Each unit will be extended automatically for up to six months, requiring additional contact through the course help desk for extensions into the seventh month onward. It is recommended to complete each unit within one month to complete the course in a reasonable timeframe.
Note: Questions about course content (grammar, vocabulary, etc.) may be submitted through the course provider site to receive an instructor response. Please not that responses may take a few days.
Embassy Information for JET Programme Participants
CLAIR has started a new 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.
https://jetprogramme.org/en/embassyinformation/
Please note that CLAIR does not take responsibility for any of the information listed on this page. For enquiries regarding the information on this webpage, 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 scheme 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:
Lump-Sum Pension Withdrawal Payment
JET Programme participants finishing their appointments and returning to their home countries may be eligible to receive a pension refund (lump-sum withdrawal payment). For more information, please refer to page 176～183 of the General Information Handbook (GIH).
https://jetprogramme.org/en/gih/
Information is also available in English and Japanese on the following website:
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 the 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.
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. Please refer to the General Information Handbook (GIH) for more details.
ALT, CIR & SEA Resources Available on the JET Programme Website
This is a reminder that CLAIR compiles handbooks for ALTs, SEAs, and CIRs on the JET Programme website.
The handbooks provide information on work duties, and how to adapt to your workplace in Japan.
If you have not checked out your handbook yet, please take a look!
Additionally, the page contains teaching materials for ALTs, including many example games and activities for different school levels.
https://jetprogramme.org/en/acs-h/
Besides the ALT Handbook on the JET Programme website, there is another ALT Handbook produced by MEXT with support from the British Council. This handbook can be viewed at the following link (https://www.britishcouncil.jp)
