Please feel free to add questions or comments (or answers) to this page.  The PAs check the PA Wiki pages regularly and will respond to any questions and comments.  We will also add other terms and conditions-related questions we receive which we feel are applicable to most JETs in the prefecture.

Q.  Why is my monthly pay less than the 300,000 yen stipulated in the terms and conditions?

A.  The terms and conditions state, “The net monthly remuneration of the JET (which shall be subject to social insurance deductions) will be 300,000 yen after any necessary national income tax and/or local tax deductions are made.” [Article 8: Remuneration, Section 1]  (The wording of this section may vary slightly by each Contracting Organization’s terms and conditions.)

Monthly pay is less than 300,000 yen because it is “subject to social insurance deductions.”  There are three types of social insurance deductions made to the monthly remuneration.

1) National Health Insurance

2) Employment Insurance

3) Pension Insurance

All JET participants are required to be covered by these Japanese insurance policies.  The monthly premium of national health insurance and pension insurance together is roughly 700,000 yen ("roughly" because premiums vary slightly by year).  Half of this is paid by the JET participant and half by the Contracting Organization.  JET participants also pay 1,000-1400 yen a month for Employment Insurance.  This is explained in the General Information Handbook, p. 51-63, 2010 edition.

When it’s all said and done, your pay stub should look something like this:

300,000 (total pay)

-12,350 (health insurance)

-23,550 (pension insurance)

  -1230 (employment insurance)

262,870 (amount you actually receive)

Note: your monthly amounts will be slightly different than those listed above.  Also, this example does not take into account income tax or local inhabitant tax.

Q.  The terms and conditions state that I must complete my appointment period in order to have my Contracting Organization pay for my return passage.  Does this mean I cannot use nenkyu to go home before the last day of my appointment period?

A.  You can use nenkyu to go home early and still fulfill your appointment.  As usual with nenkyu requests, you will need to have the permission of your Contracting Organization in order to do so.  Those considering using nenkyu to leave early should discuss this with their Contracting Organization several months in advance.

Q.  Can choseibi be taken in hourly units like nenkyu?

A.  Generally, choseibi can only be taken in daily units.  However, some Contracting Organizations may have different policies on this, so you should discuss this with your tantosha.

Q.  What does it mean that “the Supervisor may change the date of the JET’s requested leave” if the requested dates interfere with smooth work operations.  Does this mean that my Supervisor can pick the dates I use nenkyu?

A.  No, this simply means that your Supervisor can ask you to use that you change the dates of your nenkyu request.  The meaning of this section has a different nuance in the Japanese terms and conditions.  It says the Supervisor can “grant” nenkyu at another time if the requested dates interfere with smooth work operations.

Q.  I will be starting a new job in Japan within one month of the end of my contract, but I will be returning home temporarily first.  Will my Contracting Organization still pay for my return passage?

A.  No, if you are beginning a new job within one month of the end of your appointment, you will not be eligible to receive return air passage even if you return to your home country before beginning the new job.  In order to receive return air passage, JET participants must fulfill all of the following three criteria:

1) Complete the appointment term

2) Not enter into a subsequent contract or appointment with the Contracting Organization or a third party in Japan within one month after completion of the term of appointment

3) Leave Japan to return to their home country no later than one month from the day following the end of the appointment term.

Q.  The teachers/office workers around me always seem to stay after hours.  Am I also expected to do so?

A.  JET participants usually aren’t expected to stay after hours.  Please keep in mind, though, that it is helpful to relationships with co-workers to occasionally stay after hours.

Q.  What kind of situations warrant a grant of special leave?

A.  Special leave is only granted on a limited number of occasions.  These include: (1) bereavement leave; (2) marital leave; (3) natural disaster leave; (4) commuter transport system failure leave; (5) pre-natal leave; (6) post-natal leave; (7) nursing time leave; (8) menstrual leave; (9) parental leave; (10) and any other time the Supervisor deems there is a special need, such as alien registration or application for extension of period of stay.  (Items 1-4 and 10 are paid, and 5-9 are not paid.  This may vary by terms and conditions.)

    The final case which allows for paid leave, “any other time the supervisor deems there is a special need,” is generally used only for things such as trips to the Immigration Office or the local city/town/village office for alien registration.

Q.  Do all JETs in the prefecture have the same terms and conditions?

A.  No.  Each Contracting Organization has its own terms and conditions.  These terms and conditions are created based on CLAIR’s model terms and conditions. 

    All JET participants employed by Kumamoto Prefecture (ALTs placed at prefectural high schools and CIRs placed at the prefectural office), however, do have the same terms and conditions.

Q.  I was told that I am employed part-time.  How can I be part-time when I work 35 hours per week?

A.  Many JET participants are classified as “part-time” employees.  In this case, “part-time” is a translation of a Japanese word that is used to differentiate between standard employees and non-standard employees (such as employees who work on contracts or for different amounts of hours than the standard employees).  Joukin (常勤) refers to standard employees and hijoukin (非常勤) refers to non-standard employees.  The distinction between the two depends on working conditions.  Hijoukin does not have the same meaning or nuance as “part-time” (working 20 or so hours a week, often for cheap wage) does in many of our home countries.