Announcing the new JETAA International logo

Thanks to the overwhelming response to our global competition, we are pleased to unveil our new logo.

In May 2020, JETAA International organised a logo competition, open to all current JETs and JET alumni all over the world. The prize was a Kokoro Care package containing premium-quality, all-natural Japanese products delivered from Japan! Our thanks to CLAIR HQ in Tokyo for generously supporting the competition with funds.

We received 34 entries from 14 individuals all around the world. It was really encouraging for us volunteers at JETAA International to see so much participation in our project! Special thanks to our country representatives and chapter representatives for their promotion of this competition.

It was an extremely difficult decision for our country representatives to choose just one out of the many high-quality entries we’d received, and after a month of deliberation, we finally selected one winner, Ms Jayne Arnold, a unicorn JET from Kagoshima City in 2014-2019. Currently based in the USA, she teaches English online, while creating art on the side. You can see her artwork on her instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/jaynee_poi/. During the lockdown, she’s been working hard studying Japanese, creating watercolours and practising yoga.

To hear from Ms Arnold on the inspiration behind this design, please read on:

I was a JET in Kagoshima City from 2014-2019. I greatly enjoyed my time there and I was sad to leave last July. I had made a lot of meaningful connections with people in Kagoshima as well as fellow JETs in the program. The relationships and experiences I gained will continue to play a role in my life. I want to continue to help the JET community.

I thought about what I could do to make the design illustrate the JET community and our connection to Japan. My first idea was the concept of the circle. A circle represents unity and connection between Japan and JETs from all over the world. In addition to this, the red circle is reminiscent of the Japanese flag. A circle is a pleasing shape that promotes movement in a design.

As for the other symbolism, I wanted to honor the original JET AA International logo by keeping the sakura. I used the traditional Japanese grass motif. The grass represents JET’s grassroots mission to promote cultural understanding between Japan and the world.

Congratulations, once again, to Ms Jayne Arnold for this beautifully designed logo. And our deep gratitude to all the volunteers for their promotion of this project, and to all of the individuals who’ve submitted their entries!

We at JETAA International look forward to serving you better.