Horizons: Japan Career Series | April 2026
Have you ever wanted to get advice on how to continue your time in Japan after the JET Program?
Whether you're mid-contract and dreaming about staying, freshly off JET and figuring out your next move, years out and still navigating life in Japan or an alum that is thinking about returning, you're not alone. More JET alumni than ever are choosing to put down roots in Japan, but the reality of making that work? Not always talked about openly.
That's exactly what this series is for. In partnership USJETAA and JETAA Tokyo are excited to offer a three-part series covering key aspects of living and working in Japan after JET. These sessions are designed for JETs and alumni who want to stay in Japan post-JET or return to Japan for professional opportunities. Attend any or all of these sessions to hear from experienced fellow JET alumni, universities, and career professionals. If you’re in the Tokyo area, join JETAA Tokyo for the in-person sessions to network and speak face-to-face with our panelists. This is a great way to explore remaining in Japan post-JET or returning to Japan for professional endeavors.
Part 1: Making Japan Home After JET
(US) Friday, April 10 @8pm ET (virtual only)
(JP) Saturday, April 11 @9am JT (in-person or virtual)
Making Japan Home After JET is a warm, honest panel discussion with JET alumni who've done it- navigated careers, communities, apartment hunting, visas, and everyday life long after their JET contracts ended. Hear it all- the good and the bad! Bring your questions, your curiosity, and maybe a few anxieties you've been sitting with. We've got you.
This session will be held in a hybrid format, so you can join in person in Minato-ku,Tokyo or online from the comfort of your couch.
Location details for those attending in person are provided upon registering through the JETAA Tokyo registration system.
Zoom details for those attending virtually are provided upon registering through the USJETAA registration system
sign into your USJETAA account for member pricing
don’t have a USJETAA membership? Join before registering for this event to receive member pricing.
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Jacqui Pitts lived all over the US before getting her first real taste of Japan during a study abroad year in high school. She joined JET right after college and spent two years teaching in a rural town in Hiroshima. After a decade of working in the Japanese video game industry, she now works in global brand management at YKK. She spends her free time gaming, jogging, and video editing.
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Treat Schubert is a public policy analyst at GR Japan and a former participant in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. From 2022 to 2024, Schubert served as a Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, where he supported municipal international engagement through interpretation, translation of official documents, and the planning and delivery of cultural exchange programming for diverse audiences.
Schubert’s connection to Japan began through a Rotary Youth Exchange year on Iki Island in Nagasaki Prefecture, an experience that sparked a lasting interest in Japanese society, language, and regional communities. He continues to deepen his understanding of Japan through his professional work and lived experience, with a particular appreciation for the hospitality and natural beauty of rural areas, regional food culture, and travel throughout the country on Japan’s shikansen system.
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Teresa is Design Lead at Zaiko, where she leads teams across product collaboration, asset management, branding, tone of voice, and the end-to-end experience between businesses and their customers. Before joining Zaiko, she worked in Japan through the JET Program (Tokyo, 20115-2020) and at a design agency with clients including Cartier and Abroad in Japan. Her career also includes building Creative Tokyo and Designer Dango, two communities bringing together designers and technologists through events in Tokyo.
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Chris Chiba-Tow is the Assistant Store Manager at lululemon Azabudai Hills in Tokyo, where he brings JET Program experience to retail leadership. He also serves as Co-Director of JETAA Tokyo, helping connect and support the JET alumni community across the city. Chris participated in the JET Programme as an ALT in Kagoshima Prefecture from 2014–2018, and after returning, transitioned into higher education as a University Lecturer of English at Kyoto Sangyo University before making a pivot into the retail industry. Outside of work, Chris is passionate about his family and has a six month old baby girl. He recently joined the US-Japan Council as a Council Leader, furthering his commitment to the US-Japan community.
Part 2: Job Hunting in Japan
(US) Friday, April 17 @8pm ET (virtual only)
(JP)Saturday, April 18 @9am JT (virtual only)
This session is for current JETs and alumni who are exploring post-JET work in Japan. Learn what the job hunt and interview process looks like in Japan, what industries are looking for a global workforce, the skills you'll need and more. Speakers include JET alumni and JET-familiar individuals from recruiting firms Quick USA, Pasona and Nisshin Global who have extensive experience recruiting for and working to place expats and JETs with companies throughout Japan and Japanese companies in the US.
Job hunting is overwhelming, especially when you are navigating a different system. This candid panel conversation will cover what the hiring process looks like in Japan, where to find opportunities, how recruiters can help, what employers tend to prioritize, and what our speakers wish more candidates knew at the start. There will also be time for Q&A, so please bring your questions. , and our goal is to support you with practical guidance in a warm, encouraging space.
This session is only offered virtually.
Sign into your USJETAA account for member pricing
Don’t have a USJETAA membership? Join before registering for this event to receive member pricing. (Any JET or JET alum can become a member.)
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Brett Huestis works at 日賑グローバル株式会社 (Nisshin Global), a consulting company in Shibuya, Tokyo that supports Japanese SMEs as they expand into international markets. As part of this work, he introduces highly skilled bilingual foreign professionals who can bring global perspectives and help drive international sales, marketing, and business development in-house for his clients.
As a former JET himself, Brett has focused on positioning former JETs as a uniquely valuable talent pool for companies pursuing international growth. In addition to talent introduction, he provides collaborative leadership and facilitation workshops for Japanese managers leading diverse teams, helping organizations work more effectively across cultures.
Brett also launched a free career support seminar series in 2025 in partnership with National AJET to help current JETs explore career paths in Japan after their contracts end.
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Kristy Ishii is a fifth generation Japanese American, who has over 8 years of experience working internationally as a community leader, JET ALT, and full cycle executive recruiter in Japan. She is currently Career Transitions Coach, Kristy Mariko Coaching & Candidate Engagement Specialist at Pasona N A, Inc.
She is most known for helping clients get in touch with their inner wisdom, joy, self care & wellness, while in a career transition phase. Her coaching method helps clients change patterned belief systems that are holding them back from success, by guiding them through unique mindset re-framing techniques. By gaining clarity, clients can realign with their roots and identities in life, relationships, and career, and lead a fulfilling lifestyle that meets all of their needs.
She received a B.A. from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA, CA, USA), and is a graduate of Alyssa Nobriga’s Institute of Coaching Mastery (Santa Monica, CA, USA).
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Takeshi Yamagishi is a Senior Manager at Quick USA and a dedicated career consultant whose life took a significant turn during his middle school days in Ishikawa-ken after a transformative encounter with a JET Program ALT at his school. Takeshi went onto become a JTE and worked with JET ALTs in the Japanese public school system. His career eventually changed course and he now works with Quick USA and lives in Dallas, TX with his family.
Inspired and impacted by his interactions with JET Program participants, Takeshi is on a mission to give back to the JET community. Takeshi has successfully supported many JET alumni to help them understand the various Japan-related job markets and industry landscapes, guiding them towards career opportunities that fit their interests.
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Jennifer Butler is an international education professional with more than 20 years of experience in global program management, student support, and partnership development across Japan, the United States, Africa, and the United Kingdom. She is Tokyo City Director at Minerva University where she directs the strategic and day to day operations of the city program.
Previously she served as Center Director at CIEE Tokyo, where she led study abroad and experiential learning programs serving over 1,000 students annually and cultivated relationships with universities and local organizations to expand internship and fieldwork opportunities.
She also held senior leadership roles with the Ashinaga Foundation - Ashinaga Africa Initiative, supporting scholars from sub-Saharan Africa studying in Japan through academic, cultural, and career development programming. In addition, she has a background in International Education Policy and worked at US universities, the Consulate-General of Japan, and was a JET Program participant (Shizuoka, 2001-2004).
Jennifer’s work focuses on building inclusive, sustainable global partnerships that advance student learning and intercultural engagement.
Part 3: Pursuing a Master’s in Japan
(US) Friday, April 24 US @8pm ET (virtual only)
(JP) Saturday, April 25 JP @9am JT (in-person or virtual)
Explore how pursuing a Master’s degree in Japan can help build your career path in-country. JET alum representatives from our university partners Temple University, Japan Campus and GLOBIS University, along with a JET alumni graduate from Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies (IUC) will share how they leveraged their in-country higher education degrees for professional success in Japan. This session will be hybrid, with in-person participation at Temple University, Japan Campus and virtual attendance via Zoom.
This session will be held in a hybrid format, so you can join in person at the Temple University Japan Campus located in Setagaya-ku,Tokyo or online from the comfort of your couch.
Location details for those attending in person are provided upon registering through the JETAA Tokyo registration system.
Zoom details for those attending virtually are provided upon registering through the USJETAA registration system.
sign into your USJETAA account for member pricing
don’t have a USJETAA membership? Join before registering for this event to receive member pricing.
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Erica Adams served as a Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) in Shimanto Town, Kochi Prefecture from 2001 to 2004. For the past 16 years, she has worked closely with international and bilingual students as they navigate careers in Japan and abroad, many encountering the same language and cultural questions that JET alumni face after completing the program.
As Executive Director of the Career Development Office at Temple University Japan Campus, Erica leads a team supporting more than 3,500 students across the Tokyo and Kyoto campuses. She oversees employer partnerships and an internship program serving approximately 300 students each year. Much of her work focuses on supporting students with limited Japanese proficiency, helping them identify employers, industries, and career paths where they can build meaningful careers in Japan without near-native language skills.
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Jennifer Butler is an international education professional with more than 20 years of experience in global program management, student support, and partnership development across Japan, the United States, Africa, and the United Kingdom. She is Tokyo City Director at Minerva University where she directs the strategic and day to day operations of the city program.
Previously she served as Center Director at CIEE Tokyo, where she led study abroad and experiential learning programs serving over 1,000 students annually and cultivated relationships with universities and local organizations to expand internship and fieldwork opportunities.
She also held senior leadership roles with the Ashinaga Foundation - Ashinaga Africa Initiative, supporting scholars from sub-Saharan Africa studying in Japan through academic, cultural, and career development programming. In addition, she has a background in International Education Policy and worked at US universities, the Consulate-General of Japan, and was a JET Program participant (Shizuoka, 2001-2004).
Jennifer’s work focuses on building inclusive, sustainable global partnerships that advance student learning and intercultural engagement.
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Stuart Parsons is a seasoned education professional with over a decade of experience in Japan. After five years with the JET Program in Hiroshima (2013-2018), Stuart transitioned to GLOBIS, where he currently leads the Admissions Office for English MBA programs.
As a 2025 GLOBIS MBA graduate himself, Stuart bridges the gap between the student experience and institutional leadership. His background as an ex-JET, global talent in Japan, and MBA alumnus provides him with a comprehensive view of the Japanese career landscape. Recently appointed as the B2C Leader for GLOBIS Taiwan, he is now focused on driving the university’s international expansion and empowering the next generation of global leaders.
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Ben Bizot works in the Provost’s Office at Temple University, Japan Campus as an Administrative Assistant and serves as one of the co‑directors of JETAA Tokyo. He participated in the JET Programme in Kumamoto City from 2021 to 2024, spending two years as an ALT before becoming the Prefectural Advisor in his final year. Ben’s interest in Japan began through his university’s Japanese language courses, which led him to earn a minor in Japanese Language & Literature, complete a summer teaching internship in Nagasaki, and serve as President of the Japanese Cultural Association. He is passionate about international education and U.S.-Japan relations, and is convinced that this will finally be the year Arsenal wins the league.
