An Introduction to the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)

You could just put "Knows Japanese" on your resume, but wouldn't it be nice to have some way to prove it?

This was the dilemma of non-native Japanese speakers before the Japanese Language Proficiency Test or JLPT (also known as 日本語能力試験, nihongo nouryoku shiken) was first held in 1984 "as a reliable means of evaluating and certifying the Japanese proficiency of non-native speakers" according to the official JLPT website.


The test is offered twice a year, once in July, and once in December, in places around the world, although many test sites outside of Asia hold the December test only. In 2011, more than 600,000 in over 60 countries took the exam. The exam levels range from N5, the easiest level, estimated to take around 250 ~ 400 hours of classroom study for students with no prior kanji knowledge according to the Japanese Language Education Center, to N1 estimated to take around 3100 ~ 4500 hours of study.

The test used to be four levels: 1級, 2級、3級、4級 (ikkyu, nikyuu, sankyuu, yonkyuu which mean level 1, level 2, etc) but switched to a five level system (N1, N2, N3, N4, N5) in 2010 to decrease the gap between 3級 and 2級, as well as to make some improvements to the exam format. Thus 3級 is roughly the same as N4. The N stands for both "new" and "nihongo", which means Japanese.

Why take the JLPT?

• The two hardest levels (N1 and N2) can be used on a resume to indicate Japanese proficiency. If you plan on having a career which requires Japanese, this is a must. Even if you are not applying for Japanese related careers, employers tend to look favorably on those who have shown proficiency in a foreign language, especially a language as hard as Japanese is thought to be.

• N1 passers receive 10 points towards preferential treatment at immigration under the Japanese  government's Point-based Preferential Immigration Treatment System for Highly Skilled Foreign Professionals. 70 points or more grants you a five year visa, and means you can apply for permanent residency after only 5 years instead of 10.

• It provides a clear pathway for learning Japanese. Each level has it's own set of grammar and vocabulary, which makes it good for goal setting. Test takers receive feedback on how they did in regards to established benchmarks.

How to Sign Up

 

JLPT registration for the July exam usually starts in mid-March, and registration for the December exam in late August. As of this writing, the official US JLPT site is run by The American Association of Teachers of Japanese while the UK one is run by SOAS Language Centre. For those planning on taking the exam in Japan, see the JEES JLPT site. For information on taking the exam in other countries, see the large list of overseas test sites.

This is the first article in a short series of posts for JLPT week. Next time I'll write about how I prepared for and passed N2, the second hardest JLPT level.

If you have any questions about JLPT testing, or perhaps some stories of your own experience with JLPT, please check out my JLPT Q&A thread to continue the discussion!