Japanese Language Tests
It should come as no surprise that if you want to work in Japan, you’ll likely need to have some Japanese proficiency. Although there are many efforts in Japan to push Japanese people to speak more English, culturally, Japanese is the language of business within the country. Many businesses and companies are still reluctant to internationalize, and since Japanese consumers make up the majority of the market in Japan, there’s not a significant need to conduct business in any language other than Japanese.
But how do you know if you’re Japanese is good enough? Sure, talking with your colleagues might be a great start but sometimes you need a more professional standard. Maybe you live outside of Japan and you don’t have many opportunities to use your Japanese skills. Luckily there are a variety of tests available both in and outside of Japan to gauge your Japanese language ability. Many of these tests are recognized internationally and provide certification to attest to your language abilities.
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the tests used for testing Japanese and how you can use them to give you an advantage in your job search.
Japanese Language Tests
The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)
JLPT is the most widely known test and outside of Japan, it’s a national standardized test to measure and certify Japanese language comprehension. The test is conducted worldwide and is separated into five different levels— JLPT-N5, JLPT-N4, JLPT-N3, JLPT-N2, and N1. N5 is the lowest level, and N1 is the highest level of certification possible. Contrary to popular belief, passing the N1 level of the JLPT exam doesn’t mean you’re fluent in Japanese. In reality, N1-level Japanese is around the same level of language comprehension as a first-year high school student.
There’s no writing on the test, so participants are only tested on reading and listening. The test has questions on kanji replacement, sentence order, grammar forms, and overall comprehension. To pass you have to score a total of 180 points in total with a minimum passing score for each section. The test is only conducted twice a year in Japan, once in July and again in December and costs ￥5,000 to take.
Although the test is widely known, it’s often criticized by others for not being an appropriate measure of Japanese ability. Since there is no speaking or writing portion, the test neglects the importance of testing for a person’s ability to communicate. Since the test is multiple choice, it is possible to pass it even with a low-level comprehension of the language. The test has also been criticized for testing complex grammar and vocabulary, which often isn’t used in everyday life, particularly at the N2, N1 levels.
J.Test
The J.Test is starting to gain popularity within the international community because of the frequency it’s offered. You can take the tests six times a year, and it costs ￥3,600 yen to register. There are seven levels, from level "A" to level "G". A is the highest, and G is the lowest. Unlike the JLPT, which has different tests for each level, the J-test administers one test, and your ability to answer the questions on the test determines your level.
It’s considered a bit harder than the JLPT because it has sections for writing along with reading, listening, and vocabulary. It’s considered to be a much more accurate test of a person’s communicative proficiency than the JLPT
While this might be a better test for those interested in testing their writing ability, the test isn’t administered outside of Asia.
Kanji Kentei
Remembering Kanji is one of the basic foundation stones for learning Japanese. The reason is simple and it is that the Kanji pictograms give us a much deeper picture of the language than just the spoken words,
The Kanji Kentei is actually a kanji aptitude test and focuses on your reading and writing ability rather than your communicative ability. There are 12 different levels. 10 is the easiest level and 1 is the hardest level (there are pre-1 and pre-2 levels). The test is made specifically for native Japanese speakers so it will likely be tough for non-native speakers. The test lasts from 40-60 minutes depending on the level. It tests the ability to not only read kanji but also write on’yomi and kun’yomi, stroke order, and the ability to use them in sentences. Tests are administered at schools all throughout Japan so there is ample opportunity to take the test.
From our research, it doesn’t seem that this test is often recognized as formal certification among Japanese companies. While passing the test is impressive, it’s likely not needed unless you’re interested in translating historical Japanese text.
Business Japanese Proficiency Test (BJT)
Like the J-Test the BJT is also gaining popularity among the international community. Unlike the JLPT which only measures comprehension, the BJT measures the communicative ability to respond to given information and express your thoughts. Instead of receiving a pass or fail, you’ll receive a numerical score to determine your Japanese business skills. The test costs ￥7,000 and testing dates differ according to the test center itself. However, applicants can only take the test once every 3 months.
Although there aren’t any requirements to take the test, the nature of the test itself does require a high level of Japanese with some business experience associated. For those interested in earning an MBA in Japan or working as a business consultant in Japan, this is likely the best test to take to showcase your abilities.
Do I Need Japanese Certification?
You don’t need to have Japanese language certification to work or even go to school in Japan. However, it doesn’t hurt to have certification to show for your studies. Testing culture is very important in Japan, and many companies which require a high level of proficiency won’t consider applicants who don’t have any Japanese certification, even if you are fluent in Japanese.
In general, the JLPT N3 is the minimum level of Japanese which hiring managers will consider depending on the position and the company. For example, teaching often doesn’t require any certification in Japanese but if you want to teach at the university level, you’ll need to at least be conversational. For more communicative positions like marketing, sales, and translations, JLPT N2 is the minimum requirement.
Many Japanese higher education institutions require proof of Japanese proficiency for their application as well. Especially if you intend to enroll for a Japanese language-based program, the schools won’t accept your application without some sort of proof of advanced Japanese fluency.
No one likes taking tests, but if you’re interested in working in Japan for the long term, it’s recommended to obtain certification from one of these tests. Although none of these tests can accurately assess a single person’s language ability, they’re a good starting point to show that you have made significant efforts to learn.
