Even if you do not know your exact day of departure yet, it is wise to inform your landlord as soon as possible that you plan to move. Depending on your contract with your landlord, you may be required to inform your landlord up to two months in advance of your departure.

If you plan to stay in Japan after your term of appointment ends, for example, for travel or to finish moving, be sure to check your period of stay. If your period of stay is set to expire, you must change your status of residence to Temporary Visitor in order to extend your period of stay. Please see Section 2.6 of the General Information Handbook for more details.

If you plan to find employment in Japan after JET, you may need to change your status of residence depending on the kind of work you engage in at your new employer. Even if you do not need to change your status, you must report that your contracting organisation has changed. For more details, please contact your local immigration bureau.

Application for Change of Status of Residence (Only in Japanese)

Notification concerning the accepting organization or the spouse

Research the options available to you, such as surface mail, economy air, and airmail. Keep in mind that slower but more economical forms of shipping by sea and surface mail can take 2-3 months for the packages to arrive at their destination.

At the beginning of June (or February, for participants finishing in March), CLAIR collects contact information from JET Programme participants completing their appointments on the JET Programme to assist them in maintaining connections with Japan and the JET Programme. You may also send your contact information to JET Alumni Associations (JETAA).

While many JET Programme participants make efforts to contact their successors via email or social media, it is wise to leave detailed information regarding your work responsibilities and living situation in written form as there is no guarantee that you will be able to obtain your successor’s name or contact information. CLAIR provides a format for leaving notes to your successor in Appendix 6 of the General Information Handbook.

Sort through the items at your desk and make sure any important documents or reference materials are organised and labeled and properly.

To receive a partial refund of your pension, you must obtain the necessary forms and designate a tax agent before leaving Japan. See Section 7.3 of the General Information Handbook as well as the information below.

Your contracting organisation can provide you with a Certificate of Employment (在職証明書) that proves you were a JET Programme participant and outlines the content of your work. For a detailed description of your work duties and job performance, ask a coworker, boss, or supervisor to write a reference letter for you. CLAIR cannot provide participants with either reference letters or certificates of employment, so it is wise to obtain both while you are still in Japan. Your contracting supervisor can find templates of both documents online at the JET Programme website; samples of templates are provided below.

Sample Reference Letters①

Sample Reference Letters②

Sample Certificate of Employment

If you are moving to a new address in Japan, you may apply online or at a post office to have your mail forwarded from your current address to your new address for one year from a designated date.

Be sure to pay the following utility and service bills and inform the utility or service provider when you would like the service canceled. Please note that while some services can be cancelled online or over the phone, cancelling your cell phone often requires you to visit the store in person to cancel your contract.

Disposing of your car or selling it to another individual requires filing the appropriate paperwork. See Section 4.7 the General Information Handbook for details regarding buying and selling vehicles.