Obtaining Certification

Although passing the JLPT is more difficult than you might expect, passing Level N1 will greatly increase your chances of entering a Japanese university or graduate school, or obtaining employment at a Japanese corporation. Passing Level N2 will greatly increase your chances of entering a Japanese technical college.

 

If you are considering using Japanese at your job after returning to your native country, we recommend that you try to pass Level N2 or higher. Nihongo Center will give our utmost support to students who are trying to achieve high goals.

 

 

What is the Japanese Language Proficiency Test?

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test, or JLPT, is a certification examination that verifies the Japanese ability of people whose native language is not Japanese. The JLPT was started in 1984 by the Japan Foundation and the Association of International Education, Japan (currently the Japan Educational Exchanges and Services). A total of approximately 7,000 people from throughout the world took the first-ever JLPT. However, the number of worldwide examines increased to about 770,000 for the 2009 examination, making the JLPT the largest Japanese language examination in the world.

Website of the JLPT

 

 

Interview with a successful examine from Nihongo Center

 

Student with Level N1 Certification

HAN XIMEI

 

(Entered Nihongo Center in October 2009)

Nationality:Chinese

Nickname:Akari

About how long have you lived in Japan?
I first came to Japan on October 16th of last year. I will soon have spent one year in Japan. (October 2010 to the present)
What was your reason for coming to Japan?

I came to Japan because I really like the country.

I decided to come because I really wanted to experience the true Japan.

I want to study at a Japanese university.

I would like to study many different subjects at universities throughout the world. Maybe I like studying! Ha-ha!

How long did you study Japanese before coming to Japan?

I studied by watching television dramas and animation. It took several hundred hours.

I studied for about 180 hours by myself in order to pass Level 2.

How was your Japanese ability before coming to Japan?

In December of 2008, I passed Level 2 with a score of 309 points.

In July of 2009, I took the Level 1 examination, but I failed after getting only 240 points.

In July of 2010, I passed Level N1 with a score of 120 points.


What did you think when taking the JLPT?

When I took Level 2, I was often told that there was no way that I would pass because I had never taken a Japanese lesson. So, I wanted to prove everyone wrong and I was determined to pass the examination!

When I took Level N1, I didn’t think that I would be able to get a good score, so I decided to focus on just passing the exam.

After passing Level N1, it is possible to take a more relaxed attitude towards studying Japanese. Therefore, I decided to carefully strengthen my own deficiencies after passing Level N1.

How did you feel upon passing the JLPT?
I was relieved because I was finally able to study Japanese more freely!
What efforts did you make in order to pass the JLPT?

I listened carefully to my teachers during class.

I listened carefully to the conversation of my friends during daily life.

I actively interacted with others.

I made it my hobby to scrutinize language.

I sometimes read textbooks! Ha-ha!

What aspects of classes at Nihongo Center were useful for passing the JLPT?
The classes were very useful. I am bad a grammar, so I don’t think I could have passed the examination with learning grammar in class.
Could you give a message to the teachers at Nihongo Center?

I would like to thank the teachers very much.

I look forward to having fun studying together in the future!

Please give a message to people who are thinking about studying Japanese.

Although Japanese is difficult, it is also fun.

Language is acquired through daily use, so take your time and enjoy studying.

I hope that you will acquire the level of Japanese proficiency that you seek.


Could you please tell us about your future plans? (Japanese study, JLPT, work, etc.)

I would like to study at the International Relations School of Ritsumeikan University (if I pass the entrance exam!).

After returning to my country, I would like to study for 2 years at the very highest level of graduate school for simultaneous interpreter. Then I would like to travel to many different countries. I hope to be active throughout the world as a simultaneous interpreter.

Someday, I would like to be a simultaneous translator for the United Nations.

 

 

Student with Level N2 Certification

Gabriella Miranda

 

(Entered Nihongo Center in October 2008)

Nationality:Swedish

Nickname:Gabbi

How long had you lived in Japan?
I had lived in Japan for 1 year and 9 months.
Why did you come to Japan?
To learn to speak japanese well and to to pass the JLPT
How much Japanese did you study before you came to Japan?
I only studied the Katakana and Hiragana and words like for example greetings.
How was your Japanese language skill before coming to Japan?
Almost zero level.
What were your thoughts when you took the JPLT?
Good thing we practiced a lot of these kinds of questions in class.
What did you think when you passed the JLPT?
I was really surprised! I thought, no way! xD
In order to pass JLPT what did you focus the most on?
I focused a lot on the lessons, speaking and listening. I believe that the day-by-day activity/studying at school is what really makes a difference.
In the lessons at Nihongo Centers, what was it that mostly prepared you for the JLPT?
The listening practice was incredibly good. The listening part of JLPT did not feel like a problem at all. Of course the JLPT lessons also helped a lot.
A message for Nihongo Center's teachers.
Nihongo center's teachers, thank you very much. Thanks to you all I managed to pass JLPT. This time with you has been fun and wonderful! And I will definitely come back to Japan to visit, so let's meet again !
A message for the people who are thinking about coming to Japan and study.
You should definitely come to Japan, It's much faster and easier and more fun to learn it here.
What are your plans from now on? (Japanese studies, JLPT, work etc)

I plan to study in University, but I haven't yet decided what.

To try and keep my Japanese level, I’m going to try and make some Japanese friends in Sweden, and a good place for that is the language-café in Gothenburg, Sweden.