JLPT
JLPT
JLPT
Certificate of Proficiency awarded for passing the Level N1 JLPT conducted in 2010.
[1] [2]
International exam sites
East Asia
Republic of Seoul, Incheon, Suwon, Seongnam, Anyang, Cheonan, Cheongju, Daejeon, Gwangju, Chuncheon,
Korea Gangneung, Busan, Gimhae, Yangsan, Daegu, Gumi, Andong, Masan, Jinju, Ulsan, Pohang, Jeju
People's Beijing, Shanghai, Changchun, Dalian, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Tianjin, Harbin, Xi'an, Chongqing, Jinan,
Republic of China Wuhan, Xiamen, Hangzhou, Hohhot, Luoyang, Suzhou, Qingdao, Changsha, Chengdu, Nanjing, Hefei,
Shenzhen, Nanchang, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Ningbo, Wuxi, Guiyang, Ürümqi
Singapore Singapore
Myanmar Yangon
Laos Vientiane
Nepal Kathmandu
Bangladesh Dhaka
Japanese Language Proficiency Test 2
Uzbekistan Tashkent
Kazakhstan Almaty
Kyrgyzstan Bishkek
Australia/Oceania
North America
United States Atlanta, Chicago, Fayetteville, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia,
Boston, Washington D.C.
South America
Paraguay Asunción
Brazil São Paulo, Londrina, Belém, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Brasília, Salvador, Manaus
Venezuela Caracas
Peru Lima
Europe
Greece Athens
Switzerland Bern
Denmark Copenhagen
Finland Helsinki
Ukraine Kiev
Hungary Budapest
Bulgaria Sofia
Poland Warsaw
Romania Bucharest
Ireland Dublin
Egypt Cairo
Kenya Nairobi
Turkey Ankara
Japanese Language Proficiency Test 3
The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (日本語能力試験 Nihongo Nōryoku Shiken), or JLPT, is a standardized
criterion-referenced test to evaluate and certify the Japanese language proficiency of non-native speakers. It is held
twice a year in East Asia and once a year in other regions.[3] The JLPT now has five levels, with Level N5 the most
basic and Level N1 the most difficult. From 1984 to 2009 the test had 4 levels, with Level 4 the most basic and Level
1 the most difficult – see kyū. But a new level was inserted between 2 and 3, meaning N5 corresponds to the old
Level 4. The Japan Foundation estimates that approximately 150 hours of study were necessary to pass the Level 4
exam and 900 hours of study were required to pass the Level 1 test,[4] although the figures may be significantly
higher for native English speakers. In 2008, the Japanese government announced a plan under consideration to use
the JLPT to screen applicants for long-term and permanent resident visas.[5] The test is held on the first Sunday of
July and December each year.
Administration
In Japan, the JLPT is administered by the Ministry of Education[11] through the Japan Educational Exchanges and
Services (JEES). Overseas, the Japan Foundation co-proctors test administration with local cultural exchange and/or
educational institutions, or with committees specially established for this purpose.[12] [13]
Revised test
A revised test pattern, originally scheduled to be implemented from December 2009, has been postponed until 2010.
The revised test will consist of five levels: N1, N2, N3, N4, and N5, with N1 being the highest level and N5 the
easiest. This has been done to address the problem of the difficulty gap between level 3 to 2.
In the past there have been requests for revisions to address the fact that examinees who have passed the Level 3 test
often have trouble with passing the Level 2 test because of the large gap in those two levels, as well as to address the
need to measure abilities more advanced than those targeted by the current Level 1 test.[14]
• N1: the same passing level as the original level 1, but able to gauge slightly more advanced skills, possibly
through equating of test scores[15]
• N2: the same as the original level 2
• N3: in between the original level 2 and level 3
• N4: the same as the original level 3
• N5: the same as the original level 4
The revised test will continue to test the same categories as the original, but the first and third sections of the test will
be combined into a single section.[16] Sections on oral and writing skills will not be introduced.[7]
No Test Content Specification will be published as it is discouraged to study from kanji and vocabulary lists. Only
the pass marks for the N1-N3 tests have so far been announced, and the pass marks for N4-N5 are to be released in
March 2011. [17]
Japanese Language Proficiency Test 4
Test sections
Results
Results are announced the following February for examinees in Japan, and March for overseas candidates. Test
results are sent to the examinees through the testing organization or centre to which they applied.[18] All examinees
receive a report indicating their scores by section. Those who pass also receive a Certificate of Proficiency.
Application period
The application period is usually around early March until late April for July's examination and around early August
until late September for December's examination.
Test sections
The JLPT is divided into three sections: "Characters and Vocabulary" (100 points), "Listening Comprehension" (100
points), and "Reading Comprehension and Grammar" (200 points).
The first section (文字・語彙, moji, goi) tests knowledge of vocabulary and various aspects of the Japanese writing
system. This includes identifying the correct kanji characters for given situations, selecting the correct hiragana
readings for given kanji, choosing the appropriate terms for given sentences, and choosing the appropriate usage of
given words.
The second section (聴解, chōkai) comprises two sub-sections that test listening comprehension. The first involves
choosing the picture which best represents the situation presented by a prerecorded conversation. The second is of a
similar format but presents no visual clues.
Japanese Language Proficiency Test 6
Section three (読解・文法, dokkai, bunpō) uses authentic or semi-authentic reading passages of various lengths to
test reading comprehension. Questions include prompts to fill in blank parts of the text and requests to paraphrase
key points. Grammar questions request that examinees select the correct grammar structure to convey a given point
or test conjugations and postpositional particle agreement.
Exam duration
Level Kanji and Listening Reading Total duration
vocabulary comprehension comprehension
and grammar
References
[1] "List of Local Host Institutions of JLPT" (http:/ / momo. jpf. go. jp/ jlpt/ overseas/ e/ list_e. html). Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. .
Retrieved January 31, 2009.
[2] "List of Overseas Test Sites" (http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ e/ application/ overseas_list. html). The Japan Foundation / Japan Educational Exchanges
and Services. . Retrieved December 21, 2010.
[3] "Official overseas JLPT homepage" (http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ e/ ). Japan Foundation. . Retrieved February 18, 2009.
[4] "What is the JLPT?" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080822215441/ http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ e/ about/ content. html). Japan Foundation.
Archived from the original (http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ e/ about/ content. html) on August 22, 2008. . Retrieved February 18, 2009.
[5] "Japan Mulls Easing Conditions For Skilled Foreign Workers" (http:/ / www. bernama. com. my/ bernama/ v3/ news_world. php?id=310894).
Malaysian National News Agency. . Retrieved February 9, 2009.
[6] "Introduction" (http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ e/ about/ index. html). The Japan Foundation. . Retrieved 2009-05-01.
[7] "第2回 日本語能力試験改訂 中間報告" (http:/ / www. jees. or. jp/ jlpt/ pdf/ 20080525_jlpt_kaitei_report_pre01_0718. pdf) (in Japanese)
(PDF). Japan Foundation. 2008-05-25. . Retrieved May 13, 2008.
[8] "What is EJU?" (http:/ / www. jasso. go. jp/ eju/ whats_eju_e. html). Japan Student Services Organisation. . Retrieved May 30, 2006.
[9] The 2005 Language Proficiency Test Level 1 and 2 Questions and Correct Answers, JEES & The Japan Foundation, Japan, 2006, pages 88
and 99. ISBN 4-89358-609-2
[10] "2009-2nd examination results, part 3" (http:/ / www. jees. or. jp/ jlpt/ pdf/ 2009_2nd/ 08-scr-16-17. pdf) (PDF). JEES. . Retrieved July 29,
2010.
[11] Chen, Ping and Nanette Gottlieb. Language Planning and Language Policy: East Asian Perspectives, Routledge, 2001, page 43.
[12] "Japanese Language Proficiency Test guidelines, 2006 (PDF), page 1" (http:/ / www. jpf. org. au/ 03_language/ jlpt/ guidelines_english.
pdf). JEES and The Japan Foundation. . Retrieved February 18, 2009.
[13] The 2005 Language Proficiency Test Level 1 and 2 Questions and Correct Answers, page 122.
[14] http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ e/ info/ index. html
[15] "Revision of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test: Second Progress Report, 2008 (PDF), pages 4-5" (http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ e/ info/ pdf/
2008_report. pdf). Committee for Revision of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, JEES and The Japan Foundation. . Retrieved February
21, 2009.
[16] "Points for Revision" (http:/ / web. archive. org/ web/ 20080822215452/ http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ e/ info/ index. html). The Japan Foundation.
Archived from the original (http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ e/ info/ index. html) on August 22, 2008. . Retrieved February 21, 2009.
[17] "New Japanese-Language Proficiency Test FAQ" (http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ e/ faq/ index. html#anchor33). The Japan Foundation, JEES. .
Retrieved November 19, 2010.
[18] "Japanese Language Proficiency Test guidelines, 2006 (PDF), page 3" (http:/ / www. jpf. org. au/ 03_language/ jlpt/ guidelines_english.
pdf). JEES and The Japan Foundation. . Retrieved February 18, 2009.
[19] 2007年結果の概要,実施国・地域別応募者数・受験者数 (http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ j/ about/ pdf/ 2007_05. pdf) JEES. Retrieved 5 April
2010.
[20] 2008年結果の概要,実施国・地域別応募者数・受験者数 (http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ j/ about/ pdf/ 2008_05. pdf) JEES. Retrieved 5 April
2010.
[21] 2009年度1回日本語能力試験実施状況 (http:/ / www. jees. or. jp/ jlpt/ pdf/ 2009/ 00-scr-all. pdf) JEES. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
[22] 2009年度2回日本語能力試験実施状況 (http:/ / www. jees. or. jp/ jlpt/ pdf/ 2009_2nd/ 00-scr-all. pdf) JEES. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
[23] Data of the test in 2010 (July) (http:/ / www. jlpt. jp/ e/ statistics/ archive/ 201001. html) JEES. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
Japanese Language Proficiency Test 7
[24] Noda, Hiroshi and Mari Noda. Acts of Reading: Exploring Connections in Pedagogy of Japanese, University of Hawaii Press, 2003, page
219.
[25] Japanese Language Proficiency Test: Test Content Specifications (Revised Edition), The Japan Foundation and Association of International
Education, Japan, 2004. ISBN 4-89358-281-X
External links
• 日本語能力試験 JLPT (http://www.jlpt.jp) (japanese), the official JLPT website
• The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (http://www.jlpt.jp/e/), the official English-language website by
JEES and the Japan Foundation
• JapaneseLanguage Proficiency Test (http://jlpt.biz/), worldwide JLPT examinees association.
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