RResidents in Japan

Please share widely, Japanese ability Test other than JLPT

  • December 21, 2025

the government is considering requiring Japanese language proficiency for permanent residency applications.

In many comments, I saw several suggestions that the JLPT test should be offered more frequently since it's only held twice a year.

Are you familiar with the Business Japanese

Proficiency Test?

Under the points-based permanent residency application system, results from this test are officially recognized, even if you don't take the JLPT.

400 points or higher = N2

480 points or higher = N1

This exam can be taken daily.

According to person with a working visa , because it's specialized for business, it's more practical and easier than the JLPT.

It is currently unclear whether this test will be accepted as proof of Japanese language proficiency required for permanent residency in the future.

However, it is currently officially accepted under the immigration points system and is at least useful for studying Japanese.

Incidentally, to obtain the "Specified Skilled Worker" visa–for activities in Japan's most labor-short industries (very simply, mostly blue-collar jobs)- passing the Japanese Language Proficiency Test at a minimum N4 level is required.
Everyone working in factories, construction sites, and similar roles is diligently studying Japanese

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hiroseyuki0528_test-summary-we-accept-your-application-activity-7407661160344436736-YHPx?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAFBGMVkBWPz0HA5ZZ0f6M97z7zwVwpaapnY

by maurocastrov

11 comments

  1. Genuine question: How many Japanese job postings allow BJT as alternative to JLPT?

    I knew BJT is accepted for HSP and PR points system but never saw it mentioned in job postings…

    Also:

    >According to person with a working visa , because it’s specialized for business, it’s more practical and easier than the JLPT.

    How much easier? And how much it affects that person having BJT versus JLPT? (I assume that person took both tests and had higher BJT score compared to JLPT thresholds).

  2. For naturalization they actually give you an interview and a writing exercise, right? The proposal for PR hasn’t been passed yet, but (and correct me if I’m wrong) it seems possible to me they might evaluate proficiency in a more practical way a la naturalization standards.

  3. Additionally, the following also qualify to prove proficiency in different cases here:

    -A foreign university graduate with a major in the Japanese language (used for HSP points = N1); I use these for my own HSP points

    -Graduating from a Japanese university in any subject (used for BMV qualification currently)

    -Graduating from Japanese secondary school (used for BMV qualification currently)

    Hopefully these are also sufficient since tests are stupid. I have only ever communicated with immigration in Japanese (since most of the officers who actually know the rules will only understand Japanese).

    I agree there should be a certain level of language ability, but I think all of these ways prove you aren’t totally incompetent. Especially if you work in areas such as translation/interpretation why should someone just take a test? Also for HSPs in particular some are contributing a lot to Japan in taxes and research advancements without even using Japanese.

  4. For blue collar workers they do have an alternative to the JLPT, the JFT-Basic, but it only measures basic daily Japanese equivalent to N5-N4.

    Maybe one day they’ll have a “JFT-Advanced” or something above the current basic one as an alternative to the JLPT.

  5. I took the BJT before and got J1. (the highest level is J1+).
    I would disagree that it’s easier than the JLPT, since I got the N1, but wasn’t able to get the J1+.
    Also the learning resources are VERY limited compared to the JLPT and you get 0 feedback what you got wrong, so improving for the next run is nearly impossible.

    But it’s more convenient, as you are not locked in a level like in the JLPT and you can take it whenever you want.

    I also would disagree that it is more practical. There are very few terms I learned from the BJT books, that I can actually use in my job. At the end of the day it’s just another test that tries and fails to measure your language proficiency and just exists to be on your CV.

  6. I took the BJT, and got J1+. I’ve never taken the JLPT, but didn’t have much trouble on an N1 mock test. Based on the mock JLPT test, the BJT felt significantly harder if you’re trying to get J1+.

    The hardest part of the BJT for me was a part where I needed to listen to a conversation that was about a document I had to read through at the same time, and it was very hard to keep track of both threads at once!

    As for jobs, there is one way to present it, it’s to say it’s the BJT by Kanken. People then link it to Kanken in their minds and that commands a lot of respect here.

  7. Am familiar with it because I took it. The fact you can take it anytime is really convenient so I recommend it if you want something but don’t want to be tied to the jlpt twice and year+ wait months for results thing

  8. BJT was great. The agent I was working with for job hunting said they’d never seen such a high score, helped immensely with the hunt.

  11. I mean, I’d like the JLPT offered more than twice a year for sure, but if your looking for permanent residency what’s and extra 6 months really… and I think I’d agree that you really should have a high proficiency int he language as well

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