Alexander Boylston (Shiga, 2018-2021)

“We have airplanes which fly three times faster than sound. We have television cameras that are orbiting Mars. But we have the same tired and inadequate mass transportation between our towns and cities that we had 30 years ago.”

So lamented a U.S. president as he signed into law a landmark piece of legislation to lay the groundwork for a revitalization of the passenger rail network in the United States¹.

This JETs on Japan article examines why Japan and the US diverged so noticeably in their transportation infrastructure.

JETs on Japan: January, 2025

USJETAA is offering subsidized, one-on-one career coaching sessions with experienced JET alumni career coaches. Availability is limited to USJETAA members, and appointments will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Limit one coaching session per registrant. $25 for a one-hour session.

Jennifer Jakubowski (Hokkaido, 1995-1997)

By a multitude of measures, Japan and the United States are among the most polar-opposite cultures on the planet. Japanese society dates back millennia; the United States, by comparison, is but a teenager.  Japan embodies one of the most homogeneous populations in the world; the United States is the quintessential melting pot. The axis on which Japanese society rotates is one of group-based mentality and behavior; the United States foremost fosters and rewards individualism. Hierarchy has a long and prominent role in Japan; competition and meritocracy have largely driven the American narrative. Such contrasts represent a mere glimpse of the fuller picture.

JETs on Japan: December, 2024