When should I start job hunting in Japan after JET?

Hey everyone! I’m in my 4th year on JET and this will be my last year. I don’t really want to go back home yet, I still want to stay in Japan a bit longer and see what I can do here.

For context, I have a degree in Education and I’m okay with staying in teaching. I actually enjoy it, and I have stuff outside of work that keeps me busy, so I’m not in a rush to switch careers or anything.

I guess my main question is timing. When should I actually start applying and sending out resumes? I want to give myself enough time to find something decent, but I also don’t want to mess up my contract or leave my schools in a bad way since I genuinely like working with them.

I know there’s a job fair in Osaka for JETs that is shared to us every year and I’m thinking of going or explore other options, but overall I just want to plan things properly instead of panicking later. It already feels like I’m counting down.

Would appreciate any advice or timelines from people who’ve been through this.

Thanks!