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AddressbyHisImperialHighnesstheCrownPrinceofJapan

It ismypleasure toattend this splendideventcommemorating the30thAnniversaryof the JET

Programmebeingheldtodaywiththeparticipationofsomanyguestsfromaroundtheworld.

TheJETProgrammehascontributedtotheenhancementofthequalityofforeignlanguageeducationin

Japan,andtothepromotionofinternationalizationatthecommunitylevel.Overtheyears,ithasbeenevolvedinto

alarge-scaleexchangeprogramme,drawingapproximately65,000participantsfrom65countries.

TheremarkablegrowthoftheJETProgrammeistrulyacauseforcelebration.It is theresultofthe

dedicatedeffortsofmanyorganizationsandpeopleconcerned, includingtheprefectures,municipalities,and

schoolswhohavewelcomedJETparticipantsfromabroad,aswellasthoseoverseasinvolvedinthepromotionof

theprogrammeandselectionprocess.

ParticipantsontheJETProgrammehavebeenplayingan importantrole in internationalizing local

communitiesasAssistantLanguage Teachersservinginelementary, junior,andseniorhighschoolsthroughout

Japan.TheyhavealsoactedasCoordinatorsforInternationalRelations,assistingwiththeinternationalexchange

projectsof localgovernmentorganizations,orasSportsExchangeAdvisorsprovidingsportsguidance in local

communitiesandschools.

ThenumberofforeigntouristsvisitingJapanfromoverseasisontherise.Moreover,in2019,Japanwill

hosttheRugbyWorldCup,followedin2020bytheTokyoOlympicandParalympicGames.Therefore,theroleof

JETProgrammeparticipantsinenhancingforeignlanguageeducationforyoungergenerationswhoshoulderour

futureandpromotinginternationalizationinlocalcommunitiesisbecomingevenmoresignificant.

FortheJETparticipantsthemselves,theopportunitytoliveinvariouspartsofJapan,tointeractwith

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peopleinthecommunitiesandthustolearnabouttheircustomsandculture,willbeofgreatvalue.Inaddition,

theJETProgrammealumniareactiveintheirrespectivehomecountries.TheJETAlumniAssociation,orJETAA,

currentlyhas53chaptersin16countries.Itbringsmegreatdelightthattheseformerparticipantscontinuetoserve

asculturalbridgesbetweenJapanandtheirhomecountriesbysharingJapanesecultureaswellasprovidingsupport

fortheJETProgramme.ItismyhopethatthebondwillbefurtherdeepenedbetweenJETProgrammealumniwho

aremoreactivearoundtheworld,andJapan.

As the JETProgrammemarks its30thanniversary,mywish is that it should continue togrow,

contributingmoreandmoretotheadvancementof foreign languageeducation inJapanandto international

exchangeatthecommunitylevel.