FAQ

Q１. What kind of organization is JAEC actually?

A１. It is an incorporated non-profit organization and is administered by Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and including former organizations. It has a more than 50 years old history. Our main project is sending Japanese trainees for agriculture abroad and accepting agricultural trainees from overseas in Japan. Furthermore we invite lectors from overseas and hold forums and symposiums etc. to provide Japanese farmers with the latest information concerning global agricultural techniques and the market situation.

Q2. What are the advantages of training in Japan?

A2. In the future you cannot compete with other countries if you don't know anything about their country and their current situation. It is very important for you to see with your own eyes the place of production, and to know how marketing and selling works. Moreover leaving your parents, leaving your home country, you have one year time to live on your own with your own knowledge and your skills. That is important for your future life. In this period, you can reflect on your parents, home country and about yourself. You might also make friends for life during the time in Asia or you'll find colleagues there. Moreover, by speaking the foreign language your language skills will improve significantly. Such criteria are very big advantages of training.

Q3. What is the difference between Working Holidays or Exchange Studies and Overseas Training?

A3. The purpose of such a trip varies. An overseas internship is not just for work or only for studying. It is an agricultural internship and the program constitutes a mixture of the above mentioned criteria. The sort of visa you need is called "intercultural visa". The program has been established with the purpose to let trainees work on a farm and while doing so, also study the language and gaining agricultural knowledge. During daily life and through communication with local people we are aiming at creating mutual friendship.

Q4. I haven't got any experience in agriculture.
Can I participate nevertheless?

A4. You should have sufficient experience in agriculture. Therefore in the case you haven't got agricultural experience you have to abandon the training program. Anyway, if you have too little agricultural experience it means you can't work properly on a farm. So we recommend to accumulate more agricultural experience whenever possible.

Q5. I'm not sure about my language skills.
How much Japanese should I speak?

A5. The higher your language skills are the better you can learn and enrich your life in Japan. We recommend to begin learning Japanese from the point of time that you decided to go to Japan. However, for most of you Japanese might be a totally foreign language so we have organized an intensive course before your departure and we are asking you to learn on your own continuously during the waiting time. Even the learning progresses differs individually. But if you keep learning your success is sure. As already mentioned the language skills develop individually so it is difficult to say in general how big the progress will be, but if you learn 1 hour a day in the intensive course until your departure you may be sure that your language skills are good enough to survive in Japan. Your former 1600 colleagues did it already. So you can do it, too.

Q6. Is it difficult to be chosen from all candidates?

A6. The test is not literally a test but only one possibility to check if your opportunities and purpose fit our program. If you have enough experience in agriculture and you really want to work and learn abroad there should be no problem. However if there are 7 candidates although we have only 5 places, then we'll have to choose who is best suited to get the internship. But in such a case we'll support you in getting the internship next year, if you are still interested.

Q7. I am looking for a job.
Can I work at the JAEC office as a trainee?

A7. We take agricultural trainees exclusively and no other trainees are required. At present we don't have any vacancy.