Tsugaru City IR Homepage つがる市国際交流ホームページ

Tsugaru City CIR

Hello! My name is Chris Hainge and I am the Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) here in Tsugaru City. I first came to Aomori Prefecture in 2003 as a member of the JET Program (see below) and worked as a CIR in the former Village of Shariki. After a regional merger in February of 2005, I became the CIR of Tsugaru City.

My job has allowed me to meet many interesting people, both from Tsugaru City and from our sister city, Bath, Maine, USA. I look forward to meeting new people and spreading awareness about foreign cultures during my time here in Tsugaru City.

What is a CIR?

A CIR is a foreign national that is placed in local government offices or related organizations for the purpose of carrying out internationalization activities. In Tsugaru City, this usually involves a balance of language instruction, event planning, sister city communication, and duties related to the yearly exchange program. However, the duties of each individual CIR vary widely depending on their host organization.

The JET Program

The JET Program enables local government agencies to employ foreign nationals for the purpose of improving foreign language education as well as promoting international exchange at the community level.

Through activities such as language instruction at schools and assisting with international exchange activities, participants interact with local residents on a wide variety of levels. The JET Program aims to increase cross-cultural understanding as well as contribute to internationalization efforts in Japan through this interaction.

For more information on the JET Program, please visit their website:

http://www.jetprogramme.org/