News & Updates
USJETAA 2026 Donation Drive
Support the next generation of JETs through our 2026 annual USJETAA Donation Drive! All individual donations made to USJETAA throughout the month of August will go towards supporting the NEXT JET Mentorship program. This is your chance to make an impact. 情けは人の為ならず。
NEW! University Partnership: Georgetown University
USJETAA Welcomes Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy to the University Partnerships Program!
JET Application Workshop: Putting Your Best Foot Forward
We often get the question: “How do I become a stronger JET applicant?” If you have asked that question, then this workshop is for YOU! If you know someone considering applying- please share this workshop with them and give them the gift of putting their best foot forward!
A Lifetime of Exploring Potential: Foundations into US-Japan Alliance Building
Shanti Shoji calls three places home: Oregon, Japan, and Washington, D.C. Her journey to JET, which led to a successful career in US-Japan relations, was not what she expected. Shanti's commitment to exploring her passions, along with her mother’s invaluable influence on her, was her north star.
Japanese Reading Group: August 2026
Join us on Friday, August 10 at 8:00 PM ET to read novelist Akagawa Jiro's essay on coffee titled コーヒー色の回想 (Coffee-colored Recollections):
Photo of the Month: July 2026
Our Photo of the Month for July comes from Peter Sinclair (Kagoshima, 2024-Present).
July Ouchigohan: Yakitori, Hiyajiru & Ice-Brewed Green Tea
Join Table for Two and JASG for the next edition of Ouchigohan on July 25th!
Building Bridges through Jazz: Rethinking Jazz Diplomacy in a Twenty-First Century World
Ryan Molloy (Aomori, 2018-2022)
At a time when both nations are dealing with forces pushing for ethnonationalist policies, we should not neglect embracing more modern forms of cultural exchange to foster stronger links between artistic communities and the general public in both nations. It is wise to embrace modern forms of cultural exchange. This article discusses the history of the Jazz Ambassadors initiative while synchronizing it with my own personal experiences as a jazz musician on the JET Programme before arguing for why both countries should increase support for the arts in order to retain strong diplomatic and cultural ties.
JETs on Japan: July 2026