Download petition.doc.
As I'm sure you're all only to aware, for the first time since its inception participants on the JET programme are now required to pay unemployment insurance, henceforth referred to as UI. The JET programme was inaugurated as an exchange programme whereby after completing a maximum of three years, now possibly five in limited circumstances, participants return to their respective countries, which the vast majority of us inevitably will. For those JETs wishing to stay on in Japan after the JET programme there is still a degree of uncertainty as to whether those applying for UI will be successful in attaining it. As highlighted in CLAIR's FAQs sheet on UI distributed last year, there are glaring inconsistencies in ministerial policy between the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (hence forth referred to as the Ministry) and the Immigration Bureau as to the residency status of JETs upon completing their JET tenures.
It may just be coincidental but it's worth considering that UI for JETs has been initiated in a time of economic slow down and financial adversity in Japan. We have only just recently seen a deductible introduced to our accident insurance. The current Japanese government is currently pursuing a course of economic reforms. Us JETs are possibly the only significant employee group within Japan without union affiliation and are thus particularly vulnerable to changes in our working conditions that may result from such reforms. It is therefore imperative we voice our opposition to any infringements upon our remuneration packages, such as UI, in a united and coordinated manner. The most appropriate means of doing this, it would appear, is through a petition.
The Jets in Fukuoka Prefecture have created and distributed a petition amongst it members in opposition to JETs having to pay compulsory UI. As prefectural representatives your cooperation in distributing the petition is crucial to its success. Although there is no guarantee our petition will eliminate UI from our lives, at the very least, it will however serve as an indicator of JETs determination to collectively oppose government initiatives that we deem detrimental to our level of working conditions.
Print off the attached UI petition, distribute it at your next monthly prefectural / municipal meeting and return it to me at the address beneath no later than April 30th. Please make copies of your respective completed petitions for your own records. We will endeavour to present the petition to Mr. Sakaguchi, the minister of health, labour and welfare, in early May.
I look forward to your cooperation in making this petition a success.
Grant Smith