2020 JLPT dates and test site cities
Dates
1st test Sunday, July 5- 2nd test Sunday, December 6
- ※The test in 2020 (July) of JLPT was cancelled at all testing sites, in Japan and overseas.
Test site cities of the July test
Japan: 47 prefectures (scheduled for 2020)Overseas: 147 cities in 46 countries/areas(as of 2019)
Test site cities of the December test
- Japan: 47 prefectures (scheduled for 2020)
- Overseas: 238 cities in 75 countries/areas (as of 2019)
Test sections and test times
| Level | Test sections 〈Test time〉 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | Language Knowledge(Vocabulary/Grammar)・Reading 〈110min〉 | Listening 〈60min〉 |
|
| N2 | Language Knowledge(Vocabulary/Grammar)・Reading 〈105min〉 | Listening 〈50min〉 |
|
| N3 | Language Knowledge(Vocabulary)〈30min〉 | Language Knowledge(Grammar)・Reading 〈70min〉 | Listening 〈40min〉 |
| N4 | Language Knowledge(Vocabulary) 〈30min〉 Test time is 〈25min〉 from the test in 2020 (December). |
Language Knowledge(Grammar)・Reading 〈60min〉 Test time is 〈55min〉 from the test in 2020 (December). |
Listening 〈35min〉 No change of test time |
| N5 | Language Knowledge(Vocabulary) 〈25min〉 Test time is 〈20min〉 from the test in 2020 (December). |
Language Knowledge(Grammar)・Reading 〈50min〉 Test time is 〈40min〉 from the test in 2020 (December). |
Listening 〈30min〉 No change of test time |
*The time allotted for each section may change. The time allotted for the Listening section may differ slightly according to the length of the recorded materials.
* Beginning with the test in 2020 (December), test times are changed for “Language Knowledge (Vocabulary)” and “Language Knowledge (Grammar)・Reading” for N4 and N5. New test times are indicated in red in the table above.
* For questions concerning the change in test times, please refer to the FAQ or send us an inquiry.
Composition of test items
Questions in each test section are categorized into type of test items according to competence to be measured. Each test item type contains multiple questions. Purposes of test item types are determined for each level.
| Test section | Type of test items | N1 | N2 | N3 | N4 | N5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language Knowledge ・ Reading |
Vocabulary | Kanji reading | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Orthography | ― | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ||
| Word formation | ― | ○ | ― | ― | ― | ||
| Contextually-defined expressions | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ||
| Paraphrases | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ||
| Usage | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ― | ||
| Grammar | Sentential grammar 1 (Selecting grammar form) |
○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | |
| Sentential grammar 2 (Sentence composition) |
○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ||
| Text grammar | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ||
| Reading | Comprehension (Short passages) |
○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | |
| Comprehension (Mid-size passages) |
○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ||
| Comprehension (Long passages) |
○ | ― | ○ | ― | ― | ||
| Integrated comprehension | ○ | ○ | ― | ― | ― | ||
| Thematic comprehension (Long passages) |
○ | ○ | ― | ― | ― | ||
| Information retrieval | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ||
| Listening | Task-based comprehension | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | |
| Comprehension of key points | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ||
| Comprehension of general outline | ○ | ○ | ○ | ― | ― | ||
| Verbal expressions | ― | ― | ○ | ○ | ○ | ||
| Quick response | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ||
| Integrated comprehension | ○ | ○ | ― | ― | ― | ||
| Links to purposes of test item types for each level | N1 | N2 | N3 | N4 | N5 | ||
* Please note that “Purposes of test item types for each level” in the above chart shows the test time for N4 and N5 before the change.
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- ＊The test in 2020 (July) of JLPT was cancelled at all testing sites, in Japan and overseas.
＊Outside Japan, the test may be held only in July or December in some cities. Click here for the test schedule in your city.
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