View source for Japanese-Language Proficiency Test

{{Short description|Standardized proficiency test}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=July 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox examination
| name= Japanese-Language Proficiency Test
| image_name= Japanese-Language Proficiency Test logo.svg
| image_size=
| image_alt=
| caption =
| acronym = JLPT
| type= Language proficiency test
| test_admin=[[Japan Foundation]]<br>
Japan Educational Exchanges and Services
| skills_tested=
| purpose=
| year_started= 1984
| year terminated =
| duration=
| score_range=
| score_validity=
| offered =
| attempt_restriction=
| regions=
| language= [[Japanese language|Japanese]]
| test_takers=
| prerequisite=
| fee=
| score_users=
| qualification rate=
| free_label=
| free=
| website= {{URL|www.jlpt.jp}}
}}
The {{Nihongo|'''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 [[Japanese language]] proficiency for [[non-native speakers]], covering language knowledge, reading ability, and listening ability.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/purpose.html | title = Objectives and History | publisher = Japan Foundation | access-date = 20 June 2011 | archive-date = 16 February 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120216040546/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/purpose.html | url-status = live }}</ref> The test is held twice a year in [[Japan]] and selected countries (on the first Sunday of July and December), and once a year in other regions (either on the first Sunday of December or July depending on region).<ref name="Overseas">{{cite web | url = http://www.jlpt.jp/e/application/overseas_list.html | title = List of Overseas Test Sites, JLPT page | publisher = Japan Foundation | access-date = 14 January 2012 | archive-date = 18 November 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161118230138/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/application/overseas_list.html | url-status = live }}</ref> The JLPT is conducted by the [[Japan Foundation]] for tests overseas (with cooperation of local host institutions), and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services for tests in Japan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FAQ {{!}}JLPT Japanese-Language Proficiency Test |url=https://jlpt.jp/e/faq/ |access-date=11 February 2023 |website=jlpt.jp}}</ref>

The JLPT consists of five independent [[kyū|levels of certification]], with 5 the lowest and 1 the highest.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/levelsummary.html | title = N1-N5: Summary of Linguistic Competence Required for Each Level | publisher = Japan Foundation | access-date = 26 November 2012 | archive-date = 24 February 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120224063418/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/levelsummary.html | url-status = live }}</ref> Until 2009, the test had four levels of certification.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/comparison.html|title=Comparison of with Old Tests - JLPT Japanese-Language Proficiency Test|access-date=2 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429080152/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/comparison.html|archive-date=29 April 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> JLPT certificates do not expire or become invalid over time.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web|url=http://www.jlpt.jp/e/faq/index.html|title=FAQ -JLPT Japanese-Language Proficiency Test|access-date=2 May 2015|archive-date=18 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118233804/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/faq/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==
The JLPT was first held in 1984 in response to the growing demand for standardized Japanese language certification.<ref>{{cite web |title=Introduction |publisher=The Japan Foundation |url=http://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/index.html |access-date=1 May 2009 |archive-date=25 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425115535/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Initially, 7,000 people took the test.<ref name="JLPT Interim Report">{{cite web |title=第2回 日本語能力試験改訂 中間報告 |publisher=[[Japan Foundation]] |date=25 May 2008 |language=ja |url=http://www.jees.or.jp/jlpt/pdf/20080525_jlpt_kaitei_report_pre01_0718.pdf |access-date=13 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913115328/http://www.jees.or.jp/jlpt/pdf/20080525_jlpt_kaitei_report_pre01_0718.pdf |archive-date=13 September 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Until 2003, the JLPT was one of the requirements for foreigners entering Japanese universities. Since 2003, the [[Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students]] (EJU) is used by most universities for this purpose;<ref>{{cite web |title=What is EJU? |publisher=Japan Student Services Organisation |url=http://www.jasso.go.jp/eju/whats_eju_e.html |access-date=30 May 2006 |archive-date=8 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060508214128/http://www.jasso.go.jp/eju/whats_eju_e.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> unlike the JLPT, which is solely a multiple-choice exam, the EJU contains sections which require the examinee to write in Japanese.

==Uses and equivalencies==
{| class="wikitable floatleft"  style="float:right"
|+ '''JLPT Total Score compared to the CEFR level'''
|-
!JLPT Total Score
![[Common European Framework of Reference for Languages|CEFR]]
|-
|N1 Total Score 142–180
|C1
|-
|N1 Total Score 100–141
N2 Total Score 112–180
|B2
|-
|N2 Total Score 90–111
N3 Total Score 104–180
|B1
|-
|N3 Total Score 95–103
N4 Total Score 90–180
|A2
|-
|N5 Total Score 80–180
|A1
|}
JLPT certification can be used for many official purposes in Japan. For example, JLPT N1 or N2 certification can help foreign nationals receive preferential immigration treatment in some circumstances.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_3/en/evaluate/index.html|title=Point Evaluation Mechanism {{!}} Points-based Preferential Immigration Treatment for Highly-Skilled Foreign Professionals|website=www.immi-moj.go.jp|access-date=27 February 2020|archive-date=29 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129173031/http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_3/en/evaluate/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Similarly, those who have passed either N1 or N2 (regardless of citizenship) are exempt from the Japanese language section of the middle school equivalency examination, which is required to enter a Japanese high school if the applicant did not graduate from a Japanese middle school,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/sotugyo/1322849.htm|title=平成24年度就学義務猶予免除者等の中学校卒業程度認定試験（中卒認定）受験案内|access-date=2 May 2015|archive-date=20 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150320115237/http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/sotugyo/1322849.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and N1 certification is sometimes accepted as an alternative to the [[Examination for Japanese University Admission]] for foreign students who wish to study at Japanese universities.

JLPT certification can also be required as a component of licensing in Japan. N1 certification is a prerequisite for foreign medical professionals who wish to take examinations to be licensed in Japan, and for certain foreign nationals who wish to attend nursing school in Japan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/merit.html|title=Advantages of JLPT - JLPT Japanese-Language Proficiency Test|access-date=2 May 2015|archive-date=12 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512024608/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/merit.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Further, under Japan's [[Economic partnership agreement]] with Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, a JLPT certificate is required for Indonesian, Filipino, and Vietnamese nurse or caregiver candidates who visit Japan.

The [[Japan Foundation]] provide an official table<ref>{{Cite web |title=Indication of the CEFR Level for Reference {{!}} JLPT Japanese-Language Proficiency Test |url=https://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/cefr_reference.html |access-date=7 April 2025 |website=www.jlpt.jp |archive-date=19 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319100321/https://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/cefr_reference.html |url-status=live }}</ref> of comparison between the JLPT and the [[Common European Framework of Reference for Languages]] (CEFR) scale based on the total score required to pass the exam. Beginning in December 2025, JLPT score reports will include an official indication of corresponding CEFR levels.

==Administration==
In Japan, the JLPT is administered by the [[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology]] through the Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES).<ref>Chen, Ping and Nanette Gottlieb. ''Language Planning and Language Policy: East Asian Perspectives'', Routledge, 2001, page 43.</ref> Overseas, the [[Japan Foundation]] co-proctors test administration with local cultural exchange and/or educational institutions, or with committees specially established for this purpose.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpf.org.au/03_language/jlpt/guidelines_english.pdf |title=Japanese Language Proficiency Test guidelines, 2006 (PDF), page 1 |publisher=JEES and The Japan Foundation |access-date=18 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090711034027/http://www.jpf.org.au/03_language/jlpt/guidelines_english.pdf |archive-date=11 July 2009}}</ref><ref>''The 2005 Language Proficiency Test Level 1 and 2 Questions and Correct Answers'', page 122.</ref>

==Test format==
The revised test pattern was implemented in 2010. The test consists of five levels, with N1 the highest level and N5 the lowest. According to the exam, N1 represents "the ability to understand Japanese used in a variety of circumstances", N2 represents "the ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations, and in a variety of circumstances to a certain degree", N3 represents "the ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations to a certain degree", N4 represents "the ability to understand basic Japanese", and N5 represents "the ability to understand some basic Japanese".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/levelsummary.html|title=N1-N5: Summary of Linguistic Competence Required for Each Level|publisher=The Japan Foundation, JEES|access-date=22 January 2024|archive-date=18 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118000329/https://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/levelsummary.html|url-status=live}}</ref> No ''Test Content Specification'' is published as it is discouraged to study from [[kanji]] and vocabulary lists.<ref name=":0">{{cite web | url = https://www.jlpt.jp/e/faq/index.html#anchor28 | title = Japanese-Language Proficiency Test FAQ | publisher = The Japan Foundation, JEES | access-date = 14 December 2023}}</ref>

===Scoring===
Passing is based on scaled scores calculated using [[item-response theory]] so that equivalent performance on tests from different years and different levels of difficulty yields the same scaled score. Raw scores are not directly used to determine conditions for passing, nor are they reported, except in rough form in the "Reference Information" of the score report, which tells test takers whether their raw scores were 67% or above, between 34% and 66%, or below 34%.<ref name=":0" /> This reference information is given for vocabulary, grammar, and reading on the N4 and N5, and for vocabulary and grammar (but not reading) on the N1, N2, and N3.

Since 2010, passing the test requires both achieving an overall pass mark for the total points, and passing each section individually. The overall pass mark depends on the level, and varies between 100/180 (55.55%) for the N1 and 80/180 (44.44%) for the N5. Meanwhile, scores of at least 31.67% are required for each section in order to ensure that test takers cannot pass by doing very well on one section and very poorly on another.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|+ Pass marks for individual sections<ref name="newfaq">{{cite web |url=http://www.jlpt.jp/e/info/index.html |title=Points for Revision |publisher=The Japan Foundation |access-date=21 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822215452/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/info/index.html |archive-date=22 August 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Scoring Sections, Pass or Fail, Score Report {{!}} JLPT Japanese-Language Proficiency Test |url=https://www.jlpt.jp/e/guideline/results.html |access-date=18 March 2024 |website=www.jlpt.jp}}</ref>
! Level !! Overall pass mark !! Language Knowledge<br />(Vocabulary/Grammar) !! Reading !! Listening
|- style="text-align:center;"
|| N1
|| 100 points
|| 19 points
|| 19 points
|| 19 points
|- style="text-align:center;"
|| N2
|| 90 points
|| 19 points
|| 19 points
|| 19 points
|- style="text-align:center;"
|| N3
|| 95 points
|| 19 points
|| 19 points
|| 19 points
|-
! Total possible
! 180 points
! 60 points
! 60 points
! 60 points
|- style="text-align:center;"
|| N4
|| 90 points
| colspan="2"| 38 points
|| 19 points
|- style="text-align:center;"
|| N5
|| 80 points
| colspan="2"| 38 points
|| 19 points
|-
! Total possible
! 180 points
! colspan="2" | 120 points
! 60 points
|}

===Test sections===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Level
! colspan="3" | Test section<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.jlpt.jp/e/guideline/testsections.html | title = Composition of Test Sections and Items | publisher = The Japan Foundation | access-date = 27 March 2022 | archive-date = 8 March 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190308044125/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/guideline/testsections.html | url-status = live }}</ref><br />(test time)
! Total duration
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| N1
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar)・Reading<br />(110 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| Listening<br />(55 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| 165 min
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| N2
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Language Knowledge (Vocabulary/Grammar)・Reading<br />(105 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| Listening<br />(50 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| 155 min
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| N3
| style="text-align:center;"| Language Knowledge (Vocabulary)<br />(30 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| Language Knowledge (Grammar)・Reading<br />(70 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| Listening<br />(40 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| 140 min
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| N4
| style="text-align:center;"| Language Knowledge (Vocabulary)<br />(25 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| Language Knowledge (Grammar)・Reading<br />(55 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| Listening<br />(35 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| 115 min
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| N5
| style="text-align:center;"| Language Knowledge (Vocabulary)<br />(20 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| Language Knowledge (Grammar)・Reading<br />(40 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| Listening<br />(30 min)
| style="text-align:center;"| 90 min
|}
* Note: "Vocabulary" includes kanji and vocabulary (previous 文字・語彙)

===Estimated study time===

Self-reported study hour comparison data for students residing in Japan, published by the Japanese Language Education Center:

{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''JLPT Study Hour Comparison Data 2010-2015'''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.studytoday.com/JLPT.asp?lang=EN |title=JLPT Study Hour Comparison Data 2010-2015 |publisher=The Japan Language Education Center |access-date=4 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117033458/http://www.studytoday.com/JLPT.asp?lang=EN |archive-date=17 November 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

|-
!Level
!Students with kanji knowledge　
(e.g. speakers of Chinese)
!Other students
(no prior kanji knowledge)
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| N1
| style="text-align:center;"|1700–2600 hours
| style="text-align:center;"|3000–4800 hours
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| N2
| style="text-align:center;"|1150–1800 hours
| style="text-align:center;"|1600–2800 hours
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| N3
| style="text-align:center;"|700–1100 hours
| style="text-align:center;"|950–1700 hours
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| N4
| style="text-align:center;"|400–700 hours
| style="text-align:center;"|575–1000 hours
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| N5
| style="text-align:center;"|250–450 hours
| style="text-align:center;"|325–600 hours
|}

==Applications and results==

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 exam.

Results for the December test 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 center to which they applied.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jpf.org.au/03_language/jlpt/guidelines_english.pdf |title=Japanese Language Proficiency Test guidelines, 2006 (PDF), page 3 |publisher=JEES and The Japan Foundation |access-date=18 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090711034027/http://www.jpf.org.au/03_language/jlpt/guidelines_english.pdf |archive-date=11 July 2009}}</ref> From 2012, with online registration, results are available online before they are mailed out (late August for the July test). All examinees receive a report indicating their scores by section. Those who pass also receive a ''Certificate of Proficiency''.

As of 2004, when there were 302,198 total test takers, the JLPT was offered annually in 40 countries including Japan.<ref>''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}}</ref> Since 2009, two exams have been held each year in East Asia, and the yearly number of test takers had risen to 1,168,535 by 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.n-k-c.info/news/544/|title=日本語教師センター|date=23 August 2020|access-date=22 January 2024|archive-date=6 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206201852/https://www.n-k-c.info/news/544/|url-status=usurped}}</ref> As of 2021, the regions with the most test takers were Japan, Taiwan, China, South Korea, India, Vietnam, Brazil, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jlpt.jp/statistics/pdf/2021_2_3.pdf|title=Number of Applicants and Examinees by Test Site|publisher=JEES|access-date=2 May 2023}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; "
|-
!  rowspan="2"|Year !! rowspan="2"|Level !! colspan="3"|JLPT in Japan !!colspan="3"|JLPT overseas
|-
!Applicants!!Examinees!!Certified (%)!!Applicants!!Examinees!!Certified (%)
|-
!rowspan="4"|2007<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/j/about/pdf/2007_05.pdf 2007年結果の概要,実施国・地域別応募者数・受験者数] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091228210047/http://www.jlpt.jp/j/about/pdf/2007_05.pdf |date=28 December 2009}} JEES. Retrieved 5 April 2010.</ref>
!1 kyū
|47,761||42,923||14,338 (33.4%)||135,616||110,937||28,550 (25.7%)
|-
!2 kyū
|34,782||31,805||11,884 (37.4%)||186,226||152,198||40,975 (26.9%)
|-
!3 kyū
|16,808||15,710||8,664 (55.1%)||143,252||113,526||53,806 (47.4%)
|-
!4 kyū
|3,908||3,383||2,332 (68.9%)||64,127||53,476||27,767 (51.9%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="4"|2008<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/j/about/pdf/2008_05.pdf 2008年結果の概要,実施国・地域別応募者数・受験者数] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090823190904/http://www.jlpt.jp/j/about/pdf/2008_05.pdf |date=23 August 2009}} JEES. Retrieved 5 April 2010.</ref>
!1 kyū
|52,992||46,953||18,454 (39.3%)||138,131||116,271||38,988 (33.5%)
|-
!2 kyū
|41,924||38,040||16,289 (42.8%)||187,482||157,142||58,124 (37.0%)
|-
!3 kyū
|22,016||20,351||13,304 (65.4%)||147,435||120,569||69,605 (57.7%)
|-
!4 kyū
|4,524||3,903||2,765 (70.8%)||65,877||55,828||31,227 (55.9%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="2"|2009-1<ref>[http://www.jees.or.jp/jlpt/pdf/2009/00-scr-all.pdf 2009年度1回日本語能力試験実施状況] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721113958/http://www.jees.or.jp/jlpt/pdf/2009/00-scr-all.pdf |date=21 July 2021}} JEES. Retrieved 5 March 2010.</ref>
!1 kyū
|29,274||26,578||11,738 (44.2%)||103,349||87,104||28,230 (32.4%)
|-
!2 kyū
|26,437||24,793||9,279 (37.4%)||130,753||110,266||27,543 (25.0%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="4"|2009-2<ref>[http://www.jees.or.jp/jlpt/pdf/2009_2nd/00-scr-all.pdf 2009年度2回日本語能力試験実施状況] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029093041/http://www.jees.or.jp/jlpt/pdf/2009_2nd/00-scr-all.pdf |date=29 October 2019}} JEES. Retrieved 5 March 2010.</ref>
!1 kyū
|46,648||41,998||12,293 (29.3%)||137,708||114,725||26,427 (23.0%)
|-
!2 kyū
|36,528||33,807||12,462 (36.9%)||176,628||147,328||41,488 (28.2%)
|-
!3 kyū
|17,703||16,675||9,360 (56.1%)||131,733||108,867||51,903 (47.7%)
|-
!4 kyū
|3,212||2,932||2,155 (73.5%)||61,995||53,041||29,529 (55.7%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="3"|2010-1<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201001.html Data of the test in 2010 (July)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101211150551/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201001.html |date=11 December 2010 }} JEES. Retrieved 27 November 2010.</ref>
!N1
|26,225||23,694||9,651 (40.7%)||73,863||62,938||19,402 (30.8%)
|-
!N2
|24,738||23,126||13,768 (59.5%)||87,889||74,874||32,530 (43.4%)
|-
!N3
|6,947||6,280||3,051 (48.6%)||42,227||32,100||12,574 (39.2%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2010-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201002.html Data of the test in 2010 (December)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514180519/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201002.html |date=14 May 2012 }} JEES. Retrieved 12 February 2011.</ref>
!N1
|40,041||36,810||12,774 (34.7%)||100,689||87,763||25,781 (29.4%)
|-
!N2
|27,947||26,020||11,679 (44.9%)||106,402||91,996||30,460 (33.1%)
|-
!N3
|8,363||7,665||3,501 (44.9%)||56,236||45,906||18,883 (41.1%)
|-
!N4
|7,764||7,317||3,716 (50.8%)||48,613||41,484||19,235 (46.4%)
|-
!N5
|2,065||1,870||1,458 (78.0%)||43,676||38,128||22,846 (59.9%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2011-1<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201101.html Data of the test in 2011 (July)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514180515/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201101.html |date=14 May 2012 }} JEES. Retrieved 13 September 2011.</ref>
!N1
|24,716||22,782||6,546 (28.7%)||89,744||76,991||20,519 (26.7%)
|-
!N2
|19,203||17,957||9,057 (50.4%)||92,015||79,716||30,216 (37.9%)
|-
!N3
|5,642||5,211||2,511 (48.2%)||36,841||29,507||13,230 (44.8%)
|-
!N4
|3,643||3,358||1,431 (42.6%)||19,010||15,453||5,802 (37.5%)
|-
!N5
|716||649||464 (71.5%)||12,346||10,510||6,108 (58.1%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2011-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201102.html Data of the test in 2011 (December)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513044806/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201102.html |date=13 May 2012 }} JEES. Retrieved 29 December 2018</ref>
!N1
|36,426||33,460||11,849 (35.4%)||100,873||88,450||26,715 (30.2%)
|-
!N2
|22,875||21,296||8,695 (40.8%)||94,538||82,944||28,679 (34.6%)
|-
!N3
|8,149||7,580||3,073 (40.5%)||49,917||41,655||16,576 (39.8%)
|-
!N4
|7,008||6,596||3,083 (46.7%)||38,888||33,402||14,722 (44.1%)
|-
!N5
|1,603||1,481||1,045 (70.6%)||33,245||29,159||16,986 (58.3%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2012-1<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201201.html Data of the test in 2012 (July)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610045636/https://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201201.html |date=10 June 2025 }} JEES. Retrieved 29 December 2018</ref>
!N1
|26,051||24,142||11,074 (45.9%)||78,904||69,082||23,789 (34.4%)
|-
!N2
|20,041||18,843||9,683 (51.4%)||78,553||69,418||29,191 (42.1%)
|-
!N3
|7,317||6,878||3,232 (47.0%)||38,650||31,942||14,391 (45.1%)
|-
!N4
|5,437||5,116||2,388 (46.7%)||22,431||18,590||8,489 (45.7%)
|-
!N5
|1,004||925||679 (73.4%)||16,361||13,911||8,129 (58.4%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2012-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201202.html Data of the test in 2012 (December)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250612024450/https://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201202.html |date=12 June 2025 }} JEES. Retrieved 29 August 2012</ref>
!N1
|32,917||30,296||7,998 (26.4%)||86,004||75,250||17,411 (23.1%)
|-
!N2
|21,139||19,612||7,919 (40.4%)||79,513||69,790||25,617 (36.7%)
|-
!N3
|10,085||9,422||2,668 (28.3%)||47,301||39,763||12,722 (32.0%)
|-
!N4
|6,961||6,562||2,371 (36.1%)||36,799||31,620||11,783 (37.3%)
|-
!N5
|1,416||1,307||945 (72.3%)||34,178||29,700||16,225 (54.6%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2013-1<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201301.html Data of the test in 2013 (July)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610045636/https://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201301.html |date=10 June 2025 }} JEES. Retrieved 3 May 2015</ref>
!N1
|27,099||25,117||8,503 (33.9%)||74,674||65,225||20,139 (30.9%)
|-
!N2
|20,956||19,712||9,117 (46.3%)||73,729||64,885||29,725 (45.8%)
|-
!N3
|9,988||9,337||3,623 (38.8%)||39,870||32,895||13,063 (39.7%)
|-
!N4
|5,637||5,297||2,485 (46.9%)||23,746||19,941||9,823 (49.3%)
|-
!N5
|1,000||905||696 (76.9%)||18,720||16,016||9,957 (62.2%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2013-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201302.html Data of the test in 2013 (December)] JEES. Retrieved 3 May 2015</ref>
!N1
|31,691||28,929||10,031 (34.7%)||81,794||71,490||25,524 (35.7%)
|-
!N2
|22,859||21,211||8,410 (39.6%)||73,935||64,989||28,148 (43.3%)
|-
!N3
|12,436||11,501||3,911 (34.0%)||48,875||41,129||17,901 (43.5%)
|-
!N4
|6,963||6,430||2,871 (44.7%)||38,078||32,752||14,290 (43.6%)
|-
!N5
|1,519||1,392||983 (70.6%)||37,313||31,922||18,248 (57.2%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2014-1<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201401.html Data of the test in 2014 (July)] JEES. Retrieved 29 December 2018</ref>
!N1
|26,277||24,395||9,513 (39.0%)||73,782||64,409||21,108 (32.8%)
|-
!N2
|22,226||20,855||9,359 (44.9%)||73,829||64,699||29,313 (45.3%)
|-
!N3
|14,842||13,749||4,362 (31.7%)||42,746||35,251||15,535 (44.1%)
|-
!N4
|6,643||6,208||3,028 (48.8%)||27,271||22,944||10,657 (46.4%)
|-
!N5
|1,318||1,175||885 (75.3%)||23,154||19,658||10,726 (54.6%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2014-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201402.html Data of the test in 2014 (December)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610045636/https://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201402.html |date=10 June 2025 }} JEES. Retrieved 27 June 2017</ref>
!N1
|30,061||27,309||8,663 (31.7%)||76,516||66,610||20,260 (30.4%)
|-
!N2
|27,725||25,548||8,785 (34.4%)||73,274||63,494||25,361 (39.9%)
|-
!N3
|18,415||16,767||4,796 (28.6%)||51,365||42,642||17,189 (40.3%)
|-
!N4
|8,123||7,516||2,482 (33.0%)||40,292||34,265||13,142 (38.4%)
|-
!N5
|1,862||1,696||1,119 (66.0%)||42,172||35,492||17,002 (47.9%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2015-1<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201501.html Data of the test in 2015 (July)] JEES. Retrieved 27 June 2017</ref>
!N1
|27,218||24,971||8,958 (35.9%)||70,453||60,642||20,625 (34.0%)
|-
!N2
|28,788||26,788||10,819 (40.4%)||74,931||64,764||28,538 (44.1%)
|-
!N3
|22,389||20,867||6,398 (30.7%)||46,799||38,489||16,081 (41.8%)
|-
!N4
|9,874||9,332||3,556 (38.1%)||32,597||27,241||9,383 (34.4%)
|-
!N5
|1,796||1,634||1,190 (72.8%)||29,201||24,569||12,940 (52.7%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2015-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201502.html Data of the test in 2015 (December)] JEES. Retrieved 27 June 2017</ref>
!N1
|32,200||29,305||8,911 (30.4%)||74,059||64,355||17,768 (27.6%)
|-
!N2
|36,147||33,374||10,922 (32.7%)||76,202||65,804||26,408 (40.1%)
|-
!N3
|27,047||24,683||6,839 (27.7%)||55,103||45,589||19,739 (43.3%)
|-
!N4
|11,874||10,969||3,325 (30.3%)||45,623||38,566||14,794 (38.4%)
|-
!N5
|2,408||2,146||1,398 (65.1%)||45,543||38,431||19,203 (50.0%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2016-1<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201601.html Data of the test in 2016 (July)] JEES. Retrieved 27 June 2017</ref>
!N1
|30,218||27,810||10,340 (37.2%)||69,147||59,790||19,396 (32.4%)
|-
!N2
|39,136||36,525||14,037 (38.4%)||79,208||68,642||32,324 (47.1%)
|-
!N3
|36,559||34,368||11,447 (33.3%)||50,857||41,816||19,531 (46.7%)
|-
!N4
|13,435||12,547||4,272 (34.0%)||36,637||30,498||11,960 (39.2%)
|-
!N5
|2,191||1,977||1,282 (64.8%)||32,286||27,106||13,671 (50.4%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2016-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201602.html Data of the test in 2016 (December)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250611003919/https://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201602.html |date=11 June 2025 }} JEES. Retrieved 29 December 2018</ref>
!N1
|37,492||34,065||10,152 (29.8%)||74,584||64,866||20,041 (30.9%)
|-
!N2
|49,620||45,687||12,962 (28.4%)||86,649||74,949||29,862 (39.8%)
|-
!N3
|39,881||36,536||11,966 (32.8%)||63,187||52,404||23,389 (44.6%)
|-
!N4
|15,219||13,937||4,076 (29.2%)||52,626||44,393||15,444 (34.8%)
|-
!N5
|2,989||2,686||1,577 (58.7%)||54,373||45,200||21,515 (47.6%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2017-1<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201701.html Data of the test in 2017 (July)] JEES. Retrieved 29 December 2018</ref>
!N1
|34,982||31,677||11,100 (35.0%)||74,034||63,021||20,861 (33.1%)
|-
!N2
|50,787||47,316||18,145 (38.3%)||94,523||80,933||38,216 (47.2%)
|-
!N3
|47,820||44,847||13,296 (29.6%)||62,494||50,635||22,560 (44.6%)
|-
!N4
|15,887||14,809||5,084 (34.3%)||43,995||36,193||14,135 (39.1%)
|-
!N5
|2,791||2,527||1,629 (64.5%)||39,094||32,148||17,180 (53.4%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2017-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201702.html Data of the test in 2017 (December)] JEES. Retrieved 29 December 2018</ref>
!N1
|44,029||39,616||12,278 (31.0%)||80,973||69,322||22,010 (31.8%)
|-
!N2
|62,404||57,374||16,425 (28.6%)||101,151||86,145||34,593 (40.2%)
|-
!N3
|52,901||48,471||14,907 (30.8%)||74,761||60,855||26,432 (43.4%)
|-
!N4
|18,190||16,759||4,680 (27.9%)||61,986||51,643||18,504 (35.8%)
|-
!N5
|3,679||3,280||2,033 (62.0%)||60,630||49,809||23,972 (48.1%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2018-1<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201801.html Data of the test in 2018 (July)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610045636/https://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201801.html |date=10 June 2025 }} JEES. Retrieved 29 December 2018</ref>
!N1
|40,718||36,791||12,488 (33.9%)||80,896||68,235||22,494 (33.0%)
|-
!N2
|58,763||54,619||17,994 (32.9%)||105,171||89,320||37,326 (41.8%)
|-
!N3
|61,878||58,126||17,547 (30.2%)||71,951||58,417||26,691 (45.7%)
|-
!N4
|18,218||16,737||5,126 (30.6%)||51,353||42,468||14,412 (33.9%)
|-
!N5
|3,251||2,903||1,836 (63.2%)||51,990||42,463||20,768 (48.9%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2018-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201802.html Data of the test in 2018 (December)] JEES. Retrieved 6 April 2019</ref>
!N1
|48,422||43,589||12,015 (27.6%)||83,808||71,416||21,509 (30.1%)
|-
!N2
|71,816||66,200||19,661 (29.7%)||110,457||94,099||37,523 (39.9%)
|-
!N3
|67,610||62,627||16,690 (26.6%)||79,761||64,907||28,027 (43.2%)
|-
!N4
|21,114||19,481||6,418 (32.9%)||68,296||57,009||20,345 (35.7%)
|-
!N5
|4,290||3,857||2,254 (58.4%)||68,237||55,810||24,913 (44.6%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2019-1<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201901.html Data of the test in 2019 (July)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610045639/https://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201901.html |date=10 June 2025 }} JEES. Retrieved 15 March 2020</ref>
!N1
|48,079||42,997||12,660 (29.4%)||87,919||73,863||21,575 (29.2%)
|-
!N2
|69,844||64,503||21,885 (33.9%)||118,683||99,931||37,275 (37.3%)
|-
!N3
|72,951||68,231||24,513 (35.9%)||84,794||68,019||29,153 (42.9%)
|-
!N4
|25,060||23,115||7,452 (32.2%)||69,925||56,616||18,613 (32.9%)
|-
!N5
|4,566||4,085||2,520 (61.7%)||62,283||49,088||22,797 (46.4%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2019-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/201902.html Data of the test in 2019 (December)] JEES. Retrieved 17 April 2020</ref>
!N1
|58,799||52,147||14,359 (27.5%)||89,689||75,681||24,953 (33.0%)
|-
!N2
|84,278||77,410||21,852 (28.2%)||118,327||100,630||41,958 (41.7%)
|-
!N3
|79,876||73,354||20,322 (27.7%)||86,307||70,540||28,033 (39.7%)
|-
!N4
|31,452||28,826||8,262 (28.7%)||89,443||74,677||23,055 (30.9%)
|-
!N5
|4,974||4,417||2,379 (53.9%)||74,918||60,405||24,784 (41.0%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2020-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/202002.html Data of the test in 2020 (December)] JEES. Retrieved 5 June 2021</ref>{{refn|group=note|name=first|Due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], only the December test session was offered in 2020. The July test session was cancelled. <ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/topics/202005191589858711.html Cancellation of the test in 2020 (July) of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)] JEES. Retrieved 15 December 2022</ref>}}
!N1
|44,697||38,537||16,110 (41.8%)||46,704||41,700||20,160 (48.3%)
|-
!N2
|68,161||61,458||31,126 (50.6%)||59,956||52,618||32,685 (62.1%)
|-
!N3
|66,700||60,324||30,440 (50.5%)||45,592||37,884||22,709 (59.9%)
|-
!N4
|28,410||25,184||10,682 (42.4%)||34,192||27,809||12,427 (44.7%)
|-
!N5
|3,565||2,997||1,982 (66.1%)||26,170||21,517||11,749 (54.6%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2021-1<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/202101.html Data of the test in 2021 (July)] JEES. Retrieved 24 April 2022</ref>
!N1
|52,017||44,851||13,401 (29.9%)||58,688||50,324||24,115 (47.9%)
|-
!N2
|66,567||59,476||20,584 (34.6%)||60,047||51,095||27,597 (54.0%)
|-
!N3
|61,220||56,230||24,655 (43.8%)||27,481||20,953||12,463 (59.5%)
|-
!N4
|32,975||30,060||14,522 (48.3%)||13,975||11,014||6,030 (54.7%)
|-
!N5
|3,432||3,009||1,990 (66.1%)||10,969||8,903||6,052 (68.0%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2021-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/202102.html Data of the test in 2021 (December)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610045639/https://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/202102.html |date=10 June 2025 }} JEES. Retrieved 24 April 2022</ref>
!N1
|53,899||45,445||12,120 (26.7%)||53,893||44,091||18,806 (42.7%)
|-
!N2
|66,272||58,559||17,078 (29.2%)||53,365||42,839||25,001 (58.4%)
|-
!N3
|53,398||48,770||16,806 (34.5%)||44,420||33,513||20,413 (60.9%)
|-
!N4
|23,353||20,849||7,472 (35.8%)||35,803||27,662||13,601 (49.2%)
|-
!N5
|2,397||2,004||1,351 (67.4%)||33,410||25,260||15,638 (61.9%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2022-1<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/202201.html Data of the test in 2022 (July)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250610045636/https://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/202201.html |date=10 June 2025 }} JEES. Retrieved 15 December 2022</ref>
!N1
|46,964||41,076||9,964 (24.3%)||59,348||49,223||17,282 (35.1%)
|-
!N2
|53,872||48,551||12,828 (26.4%)||67,023||54,542||25,677 (47.1%)
|-
!N3
|37,595||33,946||14,274 (42.0%)||52,735||41,264||21,058 (51.0%)
|-
!N4
|17,542||15,424||5,934 (38.5%)||50,508||40,120||19,389 (48.3%)
|-
!N5
|2,520||2,156||1,367 (63.4%)||38,118||30,203||16,132 (53.4%)
|- style="border-top: 2px solid;"
!rowspan="5"|2022-2<ref>[http://www.jlpt.jp/e/statistics/archive/202202.html Data of the test in 2022 (December)] JEES. Retrieved 24 August 2023</ref>
!N1
|54,444||46,725||12,110 (25.9%)||41,535||33,793||12,672 (37.5%)
|-
!N2
|63,342||56,334||14,880 (26.4%)||49,951||40,785||17,251 (42.3%)
|-
!N3
|48,744||44,177||15,296 (34.6%)||57,737||46,560||22,408 (48.1%)
|-
!N4
|41,647||38,661||13,850 (35.8%)||81,176||68,878||29,948 (43.5%)
|-
!N5
|4,749||4,253||2,684 (63.1%)||62,968||51,283||23,583 (46.0%)
|}
{{reflist|group=note}}

==Previous format (1984–2009)==

Until 2009, the test had four levels.<ref name="autogenerated1" /> JLPT certificates do not expire,<ref name="autogenerated2" /> so results from the previous format remain valid.

All instructions on the test were written in Japanese, although their difficulty is adjusted to remain appropriate to each test level.<ref>Noda, Hiroshi and Mari Noda. ''Acts of Reading: Exploring Connections in Pedagogy of Japanese'', University of Hawaii Press, 2003, page 219.</ref>  The subject matter covered at each level of the examination was based upon the {{Nihongo|''Test Content Specification''|出題基準|Shutsudai kijun}}, first published in 1994 and revised in 2004. This specification served as a reference for examiners to compile test questions, rather than as a study guide for candidates. It consisted of [[kanji]] lists, expression lists, vocabulary lists, and grammar lists for all four JLPT levels. However, about 20% of the kanji, vocabulary, and grammar in any one exam may have been drawn from outside the prescribed lists at the discretion of exam compilers.<ref name="JLPT Test Content Specifications">''Japanese Language Proficiency Test: Test Content Specifications (Revised Edition)'', The Japan Foundation and Association of International Education, Japan, 2004. {{ISBN|4-89358-281-X}}.</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Test content summary'''<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.jlpt.jp/statistics/pdf/2009_2_02.pdf | title = Guidelines for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test in 2009 (December) | publisher = Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services | access-date = 17 March 2011 | archive-date = 3 March 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303190543/http://www.jlpt.jp/statistics/pdf/2009_2_02.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref>
|-
!Level
!Kanji
!Vocabulary
!Listening
!Time of Study (est.)
!Pass Mark
|-
|4
|~100 (103)
|~800 (728)
|Basic
|150 hrs <small>(A basic course level)</small>
!rowspan="3"|60%
|-
|3
|~300 (284)
|~1,500 (1409)
|Intermediate
|300 hrs <small>(An intermediate course level)</small>
|-
|2
|~1000 (1023)
|~6,000 (5035)
|Intermediate
|600 hrs <small>(An intermediate course level)</small>
|-
|1
|~2000 (1926)
|~10,000 (8009)
|Advanced
|900 hrs <small>(An advanced course level)</small>
!|70%
|}
<small>Numbers in parentheses indicate the exact number in the ''Test Content Specification''.<ref name="JLPT Test Content Specifications" /></small>

The independent source the Japanese Language Education Center publishes the following study hour comparison data:

{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''JLPT Study Hour Comparison Data 1992-2010'''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.studytoday.com/JLPT.asp?lang=EN |title=JLPT Study Hour Comparison Data 1992-2010 |publisher=The Japan Language Education Center |access-date=25 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716160117/http://www.studytoday.com/JLPT.asp?lang=EN |archive-date=16 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
!Level
!Students with kanji knowledge　
(e.g. speakers of Chinese)
!Other students
(no prior kanji knowledge)
|-
|4
|200~300 hours
|250~400 hours
|-
|3
|375~475 hours
|500~750 hours
|-
|2
|1100~1500 hours
|1400~2000 hours
|-
|1
|1800~2300 hours
|3100~4500 hours
|}

===Test sections===
In its previous format, the JLPT was 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.

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 [[Japanese grammar|grammar]] structure to convey a given point or test [[Japanese verb conjugation|conjugations]] and [[Japanese particle|postpositional particle]] agreement.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Exam duration'''
|-
!Level
!Kanji and <br />vocabulary
!Listening <br />comprehension
!Reading<br />comprehension<br />and grammar
!Total duration
|-
|4
|25 min
|25 min
|50 min
|100 min
|-
|3
|35 min
|35 min
|70 min
|140 min
|-
|2
|35 min
|40 min
|70 min
|145 min
|-
|1
|45 min
|45 min
|90 min
|180 min
|}

===Comparison with new format===

Two changes in levels of tests were made from the previous four-level format: firstly, a new level was inserted between the old level 3 and level 2, and secondly, the content of the top level exam (old level 1) was changed to test slightly more advanced skills, though the passing level was not changed,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jlpt.jp/e/info/pdf/2008_report.pdf |title=Revision of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test: Second Progress Report, 2008 (PDF), pages 4-5 |publisher=Committee for Revision of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, JEES and The Japan Foundation |access-date=21 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306174459/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/info/pdf/2008_report.pdf |archive-date=6 March 2009}}</ref> possibly through [[equating]] of test scores. Vocabulary in particular is said to be taken from an increased pool of 18,000 words.

The addition of the new N3 was done to address the problem of the difficulty gap between levels 3 and 2: in the past, there had been requests for revisions to address the fact that examinees who had passed the Level 3 test often had trouble with passing the Level 2 test because of the large gap in the level of skill needed to pass those two levels. There was also a desire to measure abilities more advanced than those targeted by the current Level 1 test, hence the top-level exam was modified.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jlpt.jp/e/info/index.html |title=Points for Revision |publisher=The Japan Foundation |access-date=21 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822215452/http://www.jlpt.jp/e/info/index.html |archive-date=22 August 2008}}</ref>

The correspondence is as follows:
* '''N1''': slightly more advanced than the original level 1,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kanjiclinic.com/kc115final.htm |title=Get your motor running for the revamped JLPT |publisher=Kanji Clinic |access-date=14 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703054200/http://kanjiclinic.com/kc115final.htm |archive-date=3 July 2017 |url-status=usurped}}</ref> but the same passing level
* '''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 continues to test the same content categories as the original, but the first and third sections of the test have been combined into a single section.<ref name="newfaq" /> Sections on oral and writing skills were not introduced.<ref name="JLPT Interim Report" /> Further, a requirement to pass individual sections was added, rather than only achieving an overall score.

It has been argued that changes to the exam were connected to the introduction of new language policies instituted by the Ministry of Education regarding the education of minorities in Japan.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.japanesestudies.org.uk/ejcjs/vol19/iss3/niveri.html|title='Changes' to the new Japanese-Language Proficiency Test: Newly emerged language policies for non-Japanese and Japanese citizens|journal=Electronic Journal of Contemporary Japanese Studies|author1=Roxanne Lizelle Niveri|author2=Sol Rojas-Lizana|volume=19|issue=3|date=24 December 2019|access-date=26 December 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of language proficiency tests]]
* [[Business Japanese Proficiency Test]]
* [[J-Test]]
* [[Kanji kentei]]
* [[Nihongo Kentei]]

==References==
{{reflist|1=2}}

==External links==
<!-- Please avoid adding links to websites you maintain or represent; see WP:EL#ADV for more information. -->
* [http://www.jlpt.jp 日本語能力試験 JLPT] {{in lang|ja}}, the official JLPT website
* [http://www.jlpt.jp/e/ The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test], the official English-language website by JEES and the Japan Foundation

{{Language tests}}
{{Frequency list}}

[[Category:Japanese language tests]]
[[Category:Testing and exams in Japan]]