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Asarepresentativefortheorganisationshostingthisevent,itisagreathonourandpleasureformetobe

abletocommemoratewithyoutodaythe30thanniversaryandsuccessesoftheJETProgrammeinthepresenceof

TheirImperialHighnessesCrownPrinceNaruhitoandCrownPrincessMasako.

Following earlier programmes such as the ‘American English Teacher's Consultant Assistant

(MEF:MonbushoEnglishFellow)Programme’,whichbeganin1977,theJETProgrammewaslaunchedin1987,

asanattempttopromoteinternationalexchangenotjustinschools,butincommunitiesaswell.

Thisyearmarksthe30-yearmilestoneoftheprogramme.TheJETProgramme,withthecooperation

ofthoseinattendanceheretodayandmanyothersfromvariousfields,hasconsistentlymadeaccomplishmentson

multiplefronts,fromclassroomstolocalcommunities.

In schools, forexample, JETparticipantsassist in foreign language instruction,cooperatingwith

JapaneseinstructorsthroughoutJapanincludingonoutlyingislands,andcontributinggreatlytothedevelopment

offoreignlanguageeducation.Theyalsohelppromoteinternationalisationintheir localcommunitiesbytaking

partinlocalevents.

CurrentlyourMinistryisconsideringrevisingtheCoursesofStudyonforeignlanguageeducation,as

Japanpreparestohostthe2019RugbyWorldCupandthe2020TokyoOlympicandParalympicGames.Underthe

revisedCoursesofStudy,from2020,foreignlanguageeducationwillbegininthethirdgradeofelementaryschool.

ThiswillmeanthatJETProgrammeparticipantswillplayanevenlargerrolethanbefore.

OurMinistry,withthefurthersupportofallinvolved,willbedoingeverythingwecantopromotethe

furtherdevelopmentoftheJETProgramme.

Inclosing, Iwould like toaskallofyou inattendancetoday foryourcontinuedyoursupportand

cooperation.Thankyouverymuch.

HirokazuMatsunoMinister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology