The Japan Foundation 2006 Manual for the Japan Foundation Overseas Offices and

Japanese Embassies to Carry Out Group Tours Program

for Secondary School Educators

Cultural Affairs Dept.
Community Leaders and Youth Exchange Div.
The Purpose
This project aims to promote understanding of J apanese education and culture among the invited
teachers from all over the world engaged in the education at a secondary school level (in particular
majoring in social studies or international understanding education) through their visiting schools
and various institutions or staying at host homes as well as to make the participants in the program
help the younger generation in their own countries easily to understand J apan resorting to the
experiences and information they get here.
N.B., 213 educators were invited from 55 countries throughout the world in 2005.
The Numbers of the Invited Participants and their Nations: 216 people and 54 countries.
Schedules set:
For Group 1: 14 days, J une 22 (Thu) J uly 5(Wed)
For Group 2: 14 days, September 7 (Thu) September 20(Wed)
For Group 3: 14 days, November 2 (Thu) November 15(Wed)
For Korean Group : 14 days, September 28(Thu) October 11(Wed)
Model Days Program




The first day (Thu) Arrive in J apan
The second day (Fri) Orientation/ Lecture by MEXT
Tour in the Metropolitan Area
The third day (Sat) Lectures by Researchers/ Go to Hiroshima
The 4th day (Sun) Tour in the Hiroshima City, Go to Kyoto
The 5th

day (Mon) Tour in Kyoto
The 6th day (Tue) Tour in Kyoto/ Respectively Go to Other Prefectures
The 7th day (Wed) Pay a Courtesy Visit to The Board of Education/
Visit Schools / Welcome Party
The 8th day (Thu) Visit Schools, / Inspect Institutions etc
The 9th day (Fri) Visit Cultural Facilities/ Visit Schools
The 10th day (Sat) Stay at Host Homes
The 11th day (Sun) Go to Tokyo
The 12th day (Mon) Free Study and Training
The 13th day (Tue) Discussions for a Conclusion / Farewell Party
The 14th day (Wed) Going Back Home

Duties of Japan Foundation Overseas Offices and Japanese Embassies
J apan Foundation Overseas Offices and J apanese Embassies (hereinafter collectively referred to
as Overseas Offices) are requested to recommend prospective qualified participants, in
consultation with the agencies concerned(the Ministry of Education etc) in the countries of their
assignment, if necessary. Overseas Offices are also asked to carry out their duties and the relevant
procedures for the project including exchanging necessary documents.

Recommendation Procedures
Based on the number of the participants to be invited given by the competent department of the
J apan Foundation, overseas offices are requested to recommend prospective invited participants
who satisfy the following requirements.
Participation Requirements
fall under any of the following categories:
Teachers: of social studies (history, geography, politics, economics, etc.) or international
understanding education at a secondary school level, having careers of 5 years or more and aged
under 50.
The Persons in charge of educational administration: personally engaged in secondary educational
affairs ()and preferably also have teaching experiences.
including arrangement and determination of curricula, preparation of textbooks or training of
teachers.
(The persons in the above first and second categories) shall also meet the following
requirements :
make themselves fully understood in English. In particular able to understand lectures (on
educational systems etc.) and briefings at schools they visit delivered in English as well as to
exchange opinions with other participants.
The Group 2 will be provided with interpreters of English and Spanish. The Korean Group
will be provided with Korean interpreter; however each member of the groups is required to
speak English at host homes etc., at the level of everyday English.
have not been invited by the J apan Foundation.
have not stayed in J apan for a long time of period (more than one month).
stand in good health
Considerations in Selecting Prospective Participants
In selecting prospective invited participants, please take into consideration the following articles.
Teachers shall be preferred to over others.
The ratio between male and female in the prospects selected shall not be so extraordinarily
ill-balanced.
In selecting prospects the fields of duties they take charge of shall not be overspecialized.
Prospective invited participants shall agree on the following conditions of itinerary:
take the flights designated by the J apan Foundation; and extended stays in the connection
places are not allowed.
stay at the hotels or inns designated by the J apan Foundation.
follow the schedules set by the J apan Foundation for the participants activities.
The participants who want in person to visit some other places such as institutions can
utilize one day spared for free studying and training activities during their stay in J apan.
After coming back to the hotels at the completion of the days programs participants are
free to do as they like.
not allowed to be accompanied by the spouse or children etc. even at their own expenses.

Expenses to be borne by the Japan Foundation
The J apan Foundation pays the following expenses necessary for carrying out the project. But the
expenses not listed below, as a rule, fall on the invited participants.
The Costs paid for the Invited Participants
Payment for Air Tickets: the prices of round-trip tickets for direct flights on regular routes between
J apan and the airports nearest to the participants places of residence.
Tickets are of Economy IATA PEX, to which a regular discount flight charge system common to
all airlines is available. The reservation and payment for the tickets shall generally be made by
the J apanese side according to PTA method (Pre-Paid Ticket Advice); and the invited
participants (or overseas staff) shall be given the tickets at the branch offices of airlines
Payment for Staying in J apan:
Accommodation Charges (set off by provision in kind) / Food Expenses (allowed by cash and
/or set off by provision in kind ) / Traveling Expenses (set off by provision in kind)
Charges for Admission to Various Institutions etc (only for those that fall under the visiting
spots covered by the official days programs).
Visa Fees (at the time of arrival allowed in Yen in the amount specified on the receipt)
The Charges of the Hotels at which participants need to stay at the time of connection (the
arrangement and payment thereof is as a rule made by the J apan Foundation ) / Food
Expenses (allowed together with those incurred during the stay in J apan)
Premium of Accident Insurance for Traveling Abroad
Period of Insurance: from take-off from the airports nearest to the participants places of
residence to landing at the time of coming home.
Insurance Payment Coverage Items (the amounts to be paid):
injury and death (the amount to be paid: thirty(30) million yen)
treatment of injury (the maximum amount to be paid: two(2) million yen)
disease and death (ditto: three(3) million yen)
treatment of disease (ditto: two(2) million yen)
The sicknesses caused by past illnesses, chronic diseases, dental treatment,
pregnancy, childbirth, stillbirth and miscarriage are not covered.
Other Expenses
Payment for Interpreters, attendants including escorts, etc./ Expenses for holding
reception / The costs of purchasing and preparing materials for study.

The Process before the Program Starts

OVERSEAS OFFICES THE J APAN FOUNDATION
give the number of the participants to be
invited
select the prospective invited participants
draw up and submit The List of the
Prospective Invited Participants for
approval

approve: in principle admit the list of the
prospects to the invited participants
untouched
draw up and submit Data Sheet of the
Invited ParticipantsCheck Sheet of the
Condition of Health (forty five (45) days
or more before voyage)

(if acquisition of a visa is required)
forward the necessary documents including
the Reason of Invitation Paper etc.
forward the Outline of the Schedule for
Staying (at latest three (3) weeks before
voyage)
(as the occasion demands) give prior
orientation to the invited participants

(participants themselves or overseas
staff)receive air tickets

arrive in J apan

Considerations
Once the persons referred to as the Prospective Participants pass the selection by Overseas
Offices, the J apan Foundation unconditionally admits them to the membership of invited
participants. However as for the prospects who are conceived not to meet the Requirements
for Participation the J apan Foundation will confirm the reason for disqualification and
determine whether they are admitted or not.
Overseas Offices are requested to punctually keep the due date for submission of the necessary
documents including the List of the Prospective Invited Participants etc. so that the J apan
Foundation may smoothly carry out the various procedures such as arrangements for air tickets
and hotels, notification to host families and so on. Note that if the documents are not submitted
by the due date, the invitations are likely to be cancelled.
Every year some invited participants made requests for flight change, extended stay, etc.;
however any change at their own convenience shall never be permitted, about which overseas
offices are requested to fully explain to the invited participants. The J apan Foundation will invite
the very prospects that accept the terms and conditions (covering flights, accommodations,
schedules, etc.) given by the Foundation.

Notes
Information about J apan
The web site written below gives information of J apan such as climate, lifestyle, and so on. The
Foundation hopes it will be useful for the invited participants to visit the site.
URL: http://www.japanlink.co.jp/ka/home.html, http://www.jnto.go.jp/
Souvenirs
Invited participants sometimes give souvenirs to the board of education or schools they visit.
Overseas offices are requested to convince them of no need for such kind considerations of
theirs. But we think just small articles will please the people of host homes.

Departments in Charge
Cultural Affairs Dept. Community Leaders and Youth Exchange Div.
Ark Mori Building 20F, 1-12-32 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-6021, J apan
TEL/ FAX: +81) 3-5562-3532/ 3505
The Person in Charge: Mika Izui
Mail to: Mika_Izui@jpf.go.jp