Difference between various Japanese language exams

I was recently asked about different Japanese exams by a friend and I think it might be a nice opportunity to summarise and share these information with everyone.

日本語能力試験 - Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)

This is the de facto qualification for Japanese language ability and is widely recognised by Japanese companies and educational institutions. The bi-annual exam offers five levels of difficulty (N5-N1, with N1 being the highest) and is administered by the Japanese government.

JLPT focuses on four aspects (vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening) of the language. This aspect of the exam is often criticised as the exam carries no writing or oral elements and it is possible to pass the highest level without the ability to communicate in Japanese effectively.

These exams are marked out of 180 and scaled based on the difficulty of the multiple-choice exam. A minimum overall score of 80 to 100 (depending on the level) is required to pass the exam. In addition to the overall score, the student must also score at least 32% for each section.

While N2 is considered to be the bare minimum standard for any job in Japan that requires Japanese ability, most jobs involving regular business interactions in Japanese will require an N1. N3 and below are usually not considered to be useful but they function as a good steppingstone to encourage further studies.

ビジネス日本語能力テスト - Business Japanese Proficiency Test (BJT)

As the name suggests, BJT focuses on business communication ability. In BJT, specifics such as vocab and grammar are less valued. Instead, the test emphasises on the measurement of information processing power of the individual. As a result, there are only three sections in this test – Listening, listening and reading, reading. As same as JLPT, BJT does not test production ability.

BJT is a computer-based test with a full mark of 800 points. Instead of being assigned pass-fail to individual exam papers, all questions are drawn from a question bank which is dynamically updated to reflect the student’s ability. BJT is probably more difficult than JLPT given that fact that many high-level JLPT holders score low in BJT.

While dedicated to test business communication ability, BJT is rarely used in the Japanese society - most if not all companies that accept BJT as a proof of ability also accept JLPT. BJT is one of the two examinations (along with JLPT) that is accepted for Japan’s Points-Based Preferential Immigration Treatment scheme.

実用日本語検定 - Test of Practical Japanese (J.TEST)

J.TEST covers similar ground to JLPT but is harder in difficulty. It is claimed that the examination tests beyond C2 of the CERF framework (JLPT N1 is roughly equivalent to C1, according to Wikipedia). However, it is worth noting that this exam is much less known than JLPT and is pretty much worthless.

A business-oriented variant, Business J.TEST is also offered.

日本語適応型テスト - Japanese Computerized Adaptive Test (J-CAT)

J-CAT is a computer-based test that has the scoring framework similar to BJT and the syllabus similar to JLPT. The exam is marked out of 400 points, with 100 points attributed to each of listening, vocabulary, grammar and reading. J-CAT also measures beyond the level of JLPT. An N1-equivalent student is said to be able to get 251-300 in J-CAT.

It is the only test that you can officially do for free (although you are only allowed to take the exam once every six months). Given the nature, it is suitable for self-assessment or for fun. The exam takes just under two hours and results are sent immediately after you complete the exam. However, it is worth noting that J-CAT does not test productive ability as well as all other tests.