Are there fewer people applying this year?

[marbotic]

I'm curious, can anyone define what a "casual" applicant is to them and what a non-casual applicant is? Seems like there's a bit of disdain for the "casual" applicants.

I would say casual applicants are the ones who are uncertain of their willingness/desire to travel to live and work in Japan for a year, and would not care very much if they were not accepted. Non-casual applicants have done significant research about the JET Program, planned to put together the best applications possible, and would be very disappointed if they were not accepted and will probably try again the next year.

I have no disdain for the casual applicant. I just feel that individuals who have taken more consideration into their decision to live abroad will put more effort into their jobs, try harder to learn the language/assimilate, and will be less likely to back out of their contract and return home quickly. So, with that being said, I think in most cases it's better to have the non-casual applicant as long as there's no significant difference in abilities related to teaching and promoting cultural exchange.

[Shinyhaven]

I wouldn't be surprised if the whole earthquake/tsunami/nuclear trifecta impacts the number of applicants this year. Especially since recovery is still ongoing and as far as I know Fukushima is still spewing radiation (albeit less each day).

This is exactly the reason why I decided against going there this year. I still want to go there but I'm afraid of the radiation, so I consider going there earliest next year. I hope the situation will be better until then.

[Teishou]

Pfft, radiation? Only in the immediate area. Rest of the country is all

[Cliodhna]

I wouldn't be surprised if the whole earthquake/tsunami/nuclear trifecta impacts the number of applicants this year. Especially since recovery is still ongoing and as far as I know Fukushima is still spewing radiation (albeit less each day).

This is exactly the reason why I decided against going there this year. I still want to go there but I'm afraid of the radiation, so I consider going there earliest next year. I hope the situation will be better until then.

This site might help you some: http://monitoring.tokyo-eiken.go.jp/mon ... graph.html

It's a per-hour measurement of the current radiation levels out of Shinjuku which is in western/southern (depending on how you look at the map) Tokyo. The beginning of the chart is pre earthquake, the major spike is the earthquake, and the tiny spikes tend to be days it rains. The bottom of the green zone is where normal levels used to be, but as you can see, even after less than a year the radiation levels have steadily declined and continue to actively decline. Essentially, my reasoning is that everything west/south of Kanagawa is probably virtually unaffected by any of the radiation fallout from the quake and nuclear problems, and Tokyo itself is still within safe levels. In fact, I saw someone say awhile back that even with the raise in regular radiation now, Tokyo's levels are still lower than, say, Los Angeles's, haha.

All in all, I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I check this page a few times a day and have watched, for months, the radiation levels decline steadily, even rather quickly. I'm confident that things will return to normal levels fairly soon and that as long as you're not in that affected region north of Tokyo everything should be fine.

[merkypie]

Technically, there isn't. The spots for the program in the United States are proportioned by the amount of applicants, as said here by shanePC.

So then, its only logical to assume that within those spots, they're divided up to the consulates by, again, the number of applicants that applied to each one. But forget about the numbers since that's taboo wankbait disucssion. Just focus on making a great application.

[KaitouK]

Well, radiation is very dangerous but it doesn't behave like a virus - spreading from place to place. So you always have to check the local radiation level. People are afraid of the radiation because the media is completely exaggerating because they want to attract many readers/viewers.
The radiation level there is still above average but I don't think it is on a harmful level. This shouldn't stop you from doing the exchange if you are really interested in it.

I hope not too many people are influenced by the exaggeration of the media.

Best regards,

Charles

Interestingly enough, we are exposed to varying amounts of radiation every day. Eat a banana, you are exposed to the radioactive decay of the large amount of potassium in the banana. If you are out in the sun, you are directly exposed. Even if you are out at night, you will receive residual radiation that plants and concrete buildings absorb during the day and release well after the sun has set. Heck, you will probably get more radiation exposure flying back and forth to Japan than you will get spending a year there.

The radiation you receive from your surrounding environment is regarded as "background radiation". Some parts of the world have higher levels of background radiation than others and people function fine. Obviously the less radiation you receive over your lifetime the better off you are (though some studies may counter that thought).

The point is that certain standards have been set around the world as to what "consistent levels" of radiation exposure are considered no threat to the longevity of a person's life and that most of Japan falls well within those levels with the exception of the areas closest to the reactors which are restricted areas. With that said, if I make it into the JET program I'll probably be getting myself a radiation detector, mostly for my own personal curiosity but also so I can feed that data back to other mapping services out there and in case by chance come into contact with a piece of contaminated material (of which the chances are slim to none).

The world is full of risks, you just have to weight the risks as you make your own judgments towards the course you set out for your life.

Wow... that turned into quite the rant. Sorry about that. -_-

TL;DR: You are getting hit with radiation whether you like it or not, so might as well get hit with it doing something you want to do.

[Teishou]

TL;DR: You are getting hit with radiation whether you like it or not, so might as well get hit with it doing something you want to do.

This.

[Rising_Sunshine]

I could actually see there being more people applying this year considering how bad the job market is. Not that is should make much difference in how any of us approaches the program. All any of us can do is present ourselves in the applications and (fingers crossed) interviews and hope that we are selected. I am actually more curious as to how many JETS are recontacting this year as apposed to previous years because of said job market.

[bduddy]

I could actually see there being more people applying this year considering how bad the job market is. Not that is should make much difference in how any of us approaches the program. All any of us can do is present ourselves in the applications and (fingers crossed) interviews and hope that we are selected. I am actually more curious as to how many JETS are recontacting this year as apposed to previous years because of said job market.

The job market isn't really worse than recent years... in fact, I believe some areas have improved over last year. Maybe people will apply that might not have in, say, 2008, but I think the main difference from last year is the earthquake and associated issues.

[Idril]

I think some of you are missing the point.
Yes, we are exposed to radiation everyday from various objects, but what is worrisome is that the possible exposure to gamma radiation.
Gamma waves can only be stopped with several feet of concrete, whereas "everyday radiation" can be stopped by your skin (even β-rays from microwaves etc are generally harmless).

Radiation can cause cancer and other problems, and even though <1% of high radiation exposures results in cancer, it can still cause DNA mutations, which may increase the chance of health problems in subsequent generations.

Think of it in this scenario: sun baking or smoking 24/7, knowing that it can cause cancer, but choosing to ignore this warning because you don't believe it will effect you.
IMO western media has exaggerated the disaster (whereas Japan has downplayed it), but radiation exposure is still a legitimate health threat that potential Fukushima JETS should be worried about.

[hatefulsandwich]

If people find it too much of a health threat, they can simply not go to Japan. Plenty of people smoke, plenty of people bake themselves in the sun, so I don't see why potentially exposing yourself to dangerous radiation should be any less of a choice. And, you know, when it comes to Japan (and other parts of the world, of course), there is the very legitimate health threat of earthquakes themselves. It seems like people forget about these until they actually happen.

An earthquake can happen pretty much anywhere in Japan. Thus, a nuclear meltdown can happen anywhere in Japan. Fukushima isn't the only place to worry about -it's just the current place of most concern. If somebody can't accept the risk, then they simply need not apply.

[Idril]

I agree with the majority of what you posted, with the exception of this:

a nuclear meltdown can happen anywhere in Japan. Fukushima isn't the only place to worry about -it's just the current place of most concern. If somebody can't accept the risk, then they simply need not apply.

That is an incredibly harsh statement, as NO ONE should have to expose themselves to health risks in order to fulfill work requirements. It is an individual choice as to whether you would risk exposure of not, but that does not mean that I should not have applied if I am worried about radiation. A nuclear meltdown can happen anywhere in Japan? Yes it can happen! I fear for America, as they use nuclear power too! I wasn't aware my future travels there means I'm prepared for a potential nuclear fallout.

Earthquakes are a worry, but thankfully Japan's earthquake safety implements have demonstrated to be effective. I believe the skyscrapers in Tokyo are designed to withstand Richter 8 earthquakes. However, Fukushima power plant's safety measures have FAILED. If power plant safety measures are in place to protect people, I don't think I have to accept it's failure on principle of the power plant existing in the first place.

[hatefulsandwich]

I'm not saying you shouldn't have applied, but you can opt out of the program if you get placed somewhere you're adamently against - as much as JET hates people doing so. I also personally don't think that JET is going to go out of its way to stick you in an especially dangerous zone. It's bad press, after all.

I just reckon that the earthquake and subsequent nuclear disaster have acted as a reminder to people. Being placed elsewhere in Japan does not mean that you're 100% safe. I think Fukushima might dissuade some people as they realise that these things happen in Japan. Quite frankly, they could happen elsewhere in the world. Yes, even in America.

[uzakedihi]

I just reckon that the earthquake and subsequent nuclear disaster have acted as a reminder to people. Being placed elsewhere in Japan does not mean that you're 100% safe. I think Fukushima might dissuade some people as they realise that these things happen in Japan. Quite frankly, they could happen elsewhere in the world. Yes, even in America.

This exactly!
I really dislike the popular notion, which seems to be prevalent since last March, that Japan's use of nuclear activity is somehow more dangerous than that of any other country.
There are plenty of nuclear facilities all over the world, a number of which are in earthquake zones. Something like Fukushima could easily happen along the San Andreas fault, for example.
For these reasons I can't understand why so many people are suddenly so apprehensive about going to Japan.

[Namisuke]

Too often people compare high radiation levels to eating bananas. Yes, bananas have some natural radiation, but it should in no way be used to measure radiation in Fukushima. This whole banana trend that came out this year personally drives me nuts because it confuses people who don't know much about radiation and makes light of something that can be really serious if strange comparisons are used. Radiation in the perimiter of the Fukushima plant is dangerous. Because of that, people have been evacuated. You will not be placed in that zone. Anywhere outside of that zone is deemed alright by the government. If you watch videos where people drive in Fukushima and measure the radiation, you will see that the radiation level is crazy high around the plant, and quickly decreases as you drive away from it. You won't need a radiation detector in Japan. Radiation levels are posted online from multiple sources. It is important to take risks seriously, but also to not get to wild and imaginative about it. Taking a radiation detector everywhere would be like wearing a hard hat all the time. That's not too realistic.