The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (外国語青年招致事業, Gaikokugo Seinen Shōchi Jigyō), shortly as JET Programme (JETプログラム, Jetto Puroguramu), is a teaching program sponsored by the Japanese government that brings university graduates to Japan as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs), Sports Education Advisors (SEAs) or as Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) in local governments and boards of education.

[9] The English Teaching Recruitment Programme was started in 1978 and initially was exclusively for British university graduates.

Its aims were revised to "increase mutual understanding between the people of Japan and the people of other nations, to promote internationalisation in Japan's local communities by helping to improve foreign language education, and to develop international exchange at the community level".

The programme is administered by CLAIR (the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations), and has an annual budget of over 45 billion yen (US$400 million).

Some notable publications include Planet Eigo (replacement for Team Taught Pizza[15]) and Foxy Phonics.

Some JET participants in recent years have been placed in elementary schools, reflecting MEXT's plan to raise the English ability of Japanese students.

Some contracting organizations go further and have ALTs periodically work with kindergarten students teaching basic English vocabulary through games and activities.

Some hire individuals directly through advertising or word of mouth recommendation while others use an intermediary dispatch company—usually one of the big English schools such as Heart, Interac, or Altia.

Some dispatch methods used by certain Boards of Education have even been declared illegal by Japanese labor standards authorities (see Assistant Language Teacher).

JET participants in their third year are able to re-contract two more times if their work performance, accomplishments and abilities are deemed outstanding by their contracting organization.

Successful applicants starting in April are notified in early March (this notice includes their placement).

[51] In February 2012, The Japan Times alleged that one contracting Board of Education had fraudulently deducted payments from JET participants and harassed whistle-blowers of the practice.

[53] In December 2020 it was reported in the Japanese media that the plaintiff was now seeking legal redress and damages from the Nagasaki Prefectural Government.