The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme aims to promote grass roots internationalisation at the local level by inviting young overseas graduates to assist in international exchange and foreign language education in local governments, boards of education and elementary, junior and senior high schools throughout Japan. It seeks to foster ties between Japanese citizens (mainly youth) and JET participants at the person-to-person level.

JET Programme participants are placed in Contracting Organisations throughout Japan. Contracting Organisations consist of 47 prefectural and 17 designated city governments, individual city, town and village governments and some private schools. JET participants sign their contracts with their Contracting Organisation and as such, they are under the jurisdiction of the local authority which employs them. CLAIR implements the JET Programme at the national level in conjunction with three of the Japanese Ministries.