Are You Eligible to Apply? How to Check Your Japanese Level

From salary range to location expectations to the interview process, the Japan Dev team always asks our partnering companies to make their job requirements as clear for the applicants as possible. One thing most applicants struggle with, however, is the Japanese language requirements.

Follow our guide below to find out what Japan Dev’s language requirement labels mean in terms of your Japanese proficiency.

Japan Dev’s Definition of Japanese Language Levels 

Our partnering companies’ HR recruiters use the following Japanese language requirements when posting on Japan Dev:

• Japanese Not Required

• Conversational Japanese Level

  • You can discuss current events, everyday work topics, and personal life with ease. You can catch the main points of a conversation.

• Business Level Japanese

  • You can use your Japanese at the workplace. Although sometimes you might make a few small grammatical mistakes and require additional language support for technical or niche topics, you are generally able to communicate smoothly.

• Fluent Japanese 

  • You are able to use Japanese accurately and fluently with no issues, as required for your normal work tasks.

However, the language level definitions above are subjective benchmarks, so there might be a mismatch between what you regard as your Japanese language level and how an employer might define your abilities. 

In order to find your correct Japanese skill level as defined above, we’ll introduce a few tools, tests, and certificates that you can use to objectively measure and determine your true language ability. 

Learn About The Japanese Language Assessment Systems

Knowing your Japanese language level can be helpful when applying for a new job or when you want to improve your existing skills. The following systems are crucial for those who are looking to measure their Japanese level, and it’ll help to get familiar with the system as you work towards Japanese language competency.

JLPT and CEFR Tests

What is the JLPT? 

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) is the most popular standardized test that is used to determine Japanese skill level. The highest level is N1 and the beginner-level proficiency is N5. 

The Cons of JLPT

Out of all the skills required for judging competency in a foreign language, the JLPT only focuses on reading, listening, and general language knowledge skills (such as vocabulary and grammar). Speaking and writing are not a part of this test, and for that reason, it’s hard to say if you’ll have the practical speaking skills to participate in a Japanese job interview, for example. 

The other downside to taking the JLPT is that there are only 2 chances for you to take the JLPT test per year (some locations, such as the US, only offer 1 JLPT testing period per year). This means that the entire process, from an early registration deadline to taking the test at a designated testing center, to finally getting the test results will often take as long as 10 months.

Despite this inconvenience, the JLPT is currently the most well-known standardized test for measuring Japanese language proficiency, so it’s common for HR recruiters to judge your application according to your JLPT level. And of course, having a high JLPT score can absolutely make a good impression on the recruiter during the first application screening. 

What is CEFR?

The second method of determining your Japanese skill level is by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This framework is not well known, especially when compared to JLPT, but it’s slowly gaining popularity within companies that are looking to expand their team of international engineers. It also makes up for the cons of the JLPT that I introduced above. 

CEFR is a free language assessment tool that is used to determine your ability to listen, speak, read, and write in a foreign language. 

Although the JLPT is the most popular Japanese proficiency system, some companies like Mercari also use the CEFR scale to determine a candidate’s language skills. 

As opposed to JLPT’s levels N1 through 5, these are indicated as follows:

A1: Beginner level

A2: Elementary level

B1: Intermediate level

B2: Upper Intermediate level

C1: Advanced level

C2: Proficient level

For reference, and more details on what each level corresponds to in terms of skill levels, please check out the official CEFR website.

Here’s an example of how the CEFR levels correlate with the JLPT. 

Next, I’ll provide some more details on the Language Level labels that are used on Japan Dev and how they correlate with the JLPT and CEFR levels.  

Here’s What “Japanese Not Required” Means

Companies stating “Japanese Not Required” in their job listings often mean that people with no Japanese skills can apply. 

See If You’re at “Conversational” Level

The “Conversational Japanese” label usually implies that an applicant can have a basic, casual conversation in Japanese. 

While the degree of language ability can vary, at the conversational level, the applicant is expected to be able to speak about their daily lives and themselves, as well as daily events. 

People with conversational-level skills can usually understand the key points of most conversations as long as it’s not on a technical topic. Other people might need to provide extra support for someone with Conversational level Japanese by slowing down or using simple phrases and vocab. 

This level corresponds to JLPT level N4 or N3 and CEFR A2. 

Here are a few examples of what a JLPT N4 - N3 level can do, according to the official JLPT website:

• Able to understand 30-40% of the content during meetings

• Able to comprehend conversations in everyday situations spoken slowly or at a nearly natural speed 

• Is generally able to follow the flow of conversations and understand the relationships among the people involved

• Able to read and understand written materials concerning everyday topics, or able to understand the main points of some more difficult text

What Does “Business Level Japanese” Mean?

At the “Business Level”, companies expect candidates to be able to speak Japanese work. 

Smooth communication is key to be considered at this level and, while a business-level candidate may still make minor grammatical errors here and there, it’s typically fine as long as what they mean is clear.

It’s safe to say that Business level Japanese corresponds to JLPT Level N2 and CEFR B1-B2. At this level, candidates are expected to be able to do the following:

• Can understand 80% of conversations during meetings

• Able to read and understand materials on a variety of general topics 

• Can communicate smoothly with other Japanese employees with no issues

• Able to understand the essential points of presented materials, follow the narrative, and understand the intent of the speaker/author

“Fluent Japanese” Level Explained

If a job listing requires “Fluent Japanese”, this means that they’re looking for a candidate who can express themselves in Japanese without hesitation. What’s more, a fluent candidate is expected to hold conversations on various levels, both in professional and casual settings.

As expected, “Fluent Japanese” corresponds to the N1 level of the JLPT exam and CEFR C1-C2. Generally, those who reach this level can: 

• Able to keep up with both social and professional conversations

• Able to use honorifics (Keigo) well enough to hold a business conversation by yourself

• Able to understand a wide variety of materials in different settings, and follow and understand the intent of the presented ideas and contents

• Able to craft your own complex opinions or perspectives on a topic

Take The Standardized Japanese Test For Official Proof

As I mentioned, Japanese language proficiency is officially assessed via the JLPT exam. You can learn more about the test and what each JLPT level is in more detail in our previous post. 

Taking the JLPT exam isn’t always a requirement for finding a job in Japan. But it’s an additional skill you can add to your resume to increase your chances and show your dedication to working at a Japanese company. 

The JLPT levels also provide a guide for HR recruiters that will help them evaluate where a candidate is in terms of Japanese communication skills and can be useful for their hiring process.

Try A Free Online Evaluation Yourself To Find Out Now

For those who don’t want to pay for an exam and don’t need an official accreditation, taking online tests can be a good way to gauge your Japanese level.

CEFR Self-Evaluation Tool

There’s a handy CEFR self-assessment framework available in multiple languages, which you can read through and assess your language abilities to find the level that best defines your skill level.

JLPT Sample Questions

The official JLPT website offers lots of sample questions, as well as self-evaluations to find out your skill level. Try the sample questions here for each JLPT level from beginner to advanced, or check out these sample JLPT tests, also offered by the official organization.

In addition to the above, the JLPT website also includes a detailed self-evaluation list. This is a great resource detailing what each JLPT level corresponds to in terms of speaking fluency, comprehension, grammar knowledge, and similar important factors. 

In addition to the official resources, there are many online resources to test your Japanese level, one of which is by Chika Sensei’s Japanese Academy. You can take the test for each level to find out what level of JLPT your skill level corresponds to.

How important is your Japanese level to potential employers?

You might be wondering, “Do companies care if I can speak Japanese if the job position doesn’t require it? Do I even need to know Japanese to work in Japan?”. 

This depends on the position and company you’re applying to, but the bottom line is this: even for positions that don’t require Japanese skills, it always helps your application to have at least some basic knowledge. 

Many HR recruiters want to know if you are a candidate who is reliable and capable of integrating into the work culture with the least amount of friction. Having some Japanese skills shows your dedication and desire to learn more about Japan. 

This could help ease their potential concerns, as it takes a lot of time and resources to sponsor visas for a candidate living abroad, and all at the risk of the candidate quitting after discovering that there’s a cultural mismatch. Living in a foreign country already comes with so many challenges! So from the recruiter’s perspective, it helps if a candidate is someone who is already knowledgeable about living and working in a Japanese environment.

For positions that do require Japanese skills, HR recruiters are mainly concerned with whether you can communicate effectively with your future team members. In reality, they’re less concerned about if you know specific JLPT N1 vocabulary, but rather they want to see that you are able to understand what’s going on and clearly communicate your intentions.

For this reason, even if you don’t have any certifications or exact qualifications, if you can demonstrate that you have the appropriate skills to communicate smoothly with your team, then there’s a high chance that you will still be considered for the position. You can even offer to take a portion of the interview in Japanese so that you can have a chance to demonstrate your abilities.

In order to get to the interview stage, it’s important to optimize your application so that the recruiter can see your qualifications for a position that requires Japanese language abilities. Let’s talk about some points that will help your application get through to the next stage. 

How to pass the screening process for job positions that require Japanese:

1. Using colloquial assessment terms to describe your Japanese abilities in your resume could help give a better idea of your skill level and appeal to the HR recruiter. You can reference the CEFR framework for ideas on how to explain your language capabilities within the work setting. Of course, it helps to take standardized tests such as the JLPT for an objective evaluation of your skills, and it can show employers that you’re making an effort to learn.

2. Most modern IT companies in Japan are no longer using Japanese-style resumes and CVs. But for positions that require Japanese (especially business level or higher), it could help to make an impression if you include a Japanese-style resume along with your usual English resume.  This will show that you have a high-level understanding of Japanese culture and the language.

3. If you have any other information that shows your familiarity with Japanese culture, we recommend that you include it in your resume. For example, you can briefly explain why you want to work in Japan, or show that you are involved in the Japanese community and that you have a motivation or goal for your decision to move here. 

The companies listed on Japan Dev are Silicon Valley style tech companies that have a modern work culture, so many of our partnering companies don’t require any Japanese skills to apply. However, there are still many companies that would prefer someone with certain Japanese proficiency. 

We find that job positions requiring some level of Japanese skills are significantly less competitive than those that don’t require any, so it’s a huge advantage to have Japanese skills and to leverage that in your resume.

Learning To Answer “What Is My Japanese Level?”

Learning to answer “What is my Japanese level” is an important part of looking for a job as a foreigner in Japan. No matter your skill level, it’ll be beneficial for you to continue learning and improving your Japanese so that you can easily adjust to life in Japan.

If you need more resources for your Japanese learning journey, make sure to check out my posts “How hard is it to learn Japanese?” and “The best tools for learning Japanese”. For those who prefer learning in a classroom, we discuss the merits and alternatives here. 

For Japanese learners of all levels, we’ve recommended our favorite podcasts that you can use for listening or shadowing practice. 

If you’re looking to take your Japanese to the business level, check out this crash course on workplace Japanese skills. And becoming familiar with business Japanese actually goes beyond vocab and grammar, so it’ll help to learn about common business etiquette to help you adjust to working in Japan. Even small things like getting accustomed to typing on Japanese keyboards can take a bit of getting used to! 

While knowing Japanese might not be required for your job, learning as much as you can about the language, work life, and culture will help you make the most of your experience in Japan!