The CLAIR has established seven offices in major cities around the world: New York and London (1988), Paris and Singapore (1990), Seoul (1993), Sydney (1994) and Beijing (1997). These offices work to support the overseas activities of Japanese local authorities, encourage personnel exchanges between local authorities, conduct researches on local administration and finance systems in foreign countries, and provide information to foreign local governments about the local administration and finance system in Japan.

Each overseas office fulfills a wide array of significant functions, including a collection and dissemination of information, related to the local administration, support for the overseas activities of Japanese Local Authorities, publishing of information via mass media and newsletters, and holding seminars and events.

The CLAIR New York is the first CLAIR overseas office, established in 1988. During the years of its work, the CLAIR New York has done much work for the development of Japan-United States cooperation and personnel exchange as well as has earned a reputation of excellence in the United States and Canada.

Japan and the United States share many common issues, including crisis management, city planning, the environment and dealing with an information-based society. Undoubtedly, by learning from each other the counties will reveal new clues for how to solve their mutual problems. For this aim, the CLAIR New York promotes exchange and cooperation activities between Japan and American and Canadian local authorities, the JET Program support and research and surveys on local governments in the USA and Canada.

Every year, the CLAIR New York organizes the "U.S.-Canada-Japan Local Autonomy Forum" that is a great opportunity for American, Canadian and Japanese experts to speak on various subjects and discuss interesting issues, relating to the government theory and practice.

The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program, maintained in the United States and Canada by the CLAIR New York, is operated by local authorities in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, along with the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR).

The program aims at enhancing an understanding between the people of Japan and the people of other nations and promoting internationalization in Japan 's local communities by helping to improve the foreign language education and developing the international exchange on the community level. In fact, the JET Program is one of the world's largest international exchange programs that has an excellent reputation in Japan as well as abroad.

Similar activities and events take place through other overseas offices of the CLAIR. For instance, the CLAIR Singapore holds the ASEAN Forum that allows Japan and other ASEAN countries to exchange the experience in the local governance and administrative management.