JLPT vs Other Japanese Tests: BJT, J.TEST, NAT-TEST and JFT-Basic
The JLPT is the best-known Japanese test, but it isn’t the only one. Depending on why you want a certificate, for a job, a visa, a university or just to measure your progress, a different test might suit you better, or might be worth taking alongside it. Here is a plain overview of the main options and how to choose.
First, a note on accuracy
Test formats, fees, dates, locations and the way scores are used can change, and they vary by country. This article describes each test in general terms. Before you register for anything, check the official website of the test and, more importantly, what the employer, school or government scheme you are applying to actually accepts.
The main tests at a glance
| Test | What it measures | Result | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) | General Japanese: vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening. | Pass or fail at one of five levels, N5 to N1, with section scores. | The widest recognition, from employers to universities. Held in many countries, usually once or twice a year. |
| BJT (Business Japanese Proficiency Test) | Japanese for business communication: understanding workplace situations, documents and conversations. | A score, placed on a band of levels rather than pass or fail. | People working, or planning to work, in Japanese-speaking business settings. |
| J.TEST (Test of Practical Japanese) | Practical Japanese across reading and listening, at several difficulty bands. | A score with a level grade. | Learners who can sit it locally and want more frequent test dates. Availability depends on the country. |
| NAT-TEST | General Japanese, in a format similar to the JLPT, with five levels. | Pass or fail at a level, with scores. | Practice under exam conditions between JLPT dates, where it is offered. |
| JFT-Basic (Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese) | Basic Japanese for daily life, taken on a computer. | A score showing whether you reach a set basic level. | Specific work and residence routes in Japan that name it as a requirement. |
What none of them test: speaking
The JLPT, and most of the tests above, measure reading and listening through multiple-choice questions. They don’t ask you to speak or write freely. That surprises many learners, and it matters: someone can pass a high JLPT level and still struggle in a meeting, while someone else can speak comfortably without any certificate.
Some organisations use spoken interviews to assess speaking, such as oral proficiency interviews run by trained testers, and many employers simply judge your Japanese in the job interview itself. If your goal is to work in Japanese, plan to show your speaking as well as your certificate. Our guide to job interviews in Japan covers what to expect.
How to choose
- Start with whoever will read the result. If an employer, school or visa scheme names a specific test or level, take that one. Nothing else matters as much.
- If no one names a test, choose the JLPT. It is the most widely recognised and the easiest to explain on a CV or a résumé, in your home country and in Japan.
- Add the BJT if you work in business Japanese. It shows a different, more practical side of your ability, and the score can show progress over time.
- Use other tests for practice and momentum. If the JLPT is only held once or twice a year where you live, a test with more frequent dates can keep you on track in between, if one is available near you.
- Check practicalities. Where the nearest test centre is, how often the test runs, and when results arrive.
Preparing for more than one test
The core skills overlap heavily: vocabulary, grammar, reading speed and listening. If you are preparing for the JLPT, most of that work carries over. The main extra step for the BJT is getting used to business situations: emails, meeting talk, polite workplace language and reading charts and notices. Our guides to keigo for work and business emails are a good place to start.
Whatever test you choose, combine exam practice with real conversation. Certificates open doors, but it is your spoken Japanese that people notice once you walk through them. For the JLPT levels themselves, see JLPT levels explained.