Despite being a very foreign and difficult language to learn, the Japanese language is still considered as one of the most popular foreign languages to date. In 2018, roughly around 3.85 million people studied Japanese at 18,604 institutions overseas. Also, many have furthered their Japanese by taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JPLT).
What can you do with JLPT-N2? There are a lot of benefits in having a JLPT-N2 certificate. Having a JLPT-N2 certificate will open up job opportunities such as teachers, diplomats, and translators. Being a foreigner who speaks JLPT-N2 reflects not only in Japanese fluency, but a comprehension of Japanese culture and etiquette as well.
Below is everything you need to know about the JLPT-N2; including the ranking system, the content of the JLPT test, preparation for the JLPT test, and opportunities ahead once you have obtained the JLPT-N2 certificate. In addition, whether you have an interest in Japan or not, learning a new language will always better your arsenal in a world that is constantly interconnected globally.
Job Options with JLPT-N2 Certificate
The need for individuals capable of speaking in a foreign language is always on the rise. Japan is home to many multi-national corporations (MNC) such as Toyota, Honda, Nippon, and Sony to name a few. MNC’s would be interested in Japanese citizens speaking fluent English, or Foreign nationals speaking fluent Japanese.
However, there are, of course, other jobs other than working with Japanese MNC. Obtaining the LPT-N2 certificate means that you are at least bi-lingual. Being able to utilize your Japanese language to bridge two worlds is a much-needed skillset. There are numerous jobs out there that requires that specific skillset.
Translators
Translators are a profession who takes written materials and translates them into a different language. This includes literary, medical, and technical translation. Your chosen field mainly depends on your background and previous work experience. The more difficult the field is, the better your Japanese should be.
Interpreters
An Interpreter’s main duties are to mediate and translate speech between speakers of two different languages. Often the interpreter’s function as mediators between businesses and clients for MNC’s often meet and trade with other foreign nationals. Specifically, in Japan, an interpreter should be familiar Keigo, which is an important aspect of doing Business in Japan.
Teachers
School teachers are a popular choice for many foreigners, especially for their first job in Japan. There are a variety of agencies outside of Japan that recruits foreign nationals to teach English in Japan. This job is an excellent fit for creative and enthusiastic Japanese speakers bent on keeping up their language skills.
Diplomats
Diplomats are government workers posted overseas at embassies and consulates. Diplomats have varying responsibilities and work in a diverse sector such as economics, translation, and politics. Although you would technically be a government worker for your home country, Japanese-speaking diplomats work in embassies and consulates across Japan.
Flight Attendants
Japan is known to have one of the best airlines industry such as Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA). Most international flight attendants speak a minimum of two languages. So, if you are hoping to use your Japanese, working for a Japanese airline would be or flights between your country of origin and Japan are ideal.
Multi-National Company Employees
Becoming an employee at a Japanese company requires different skills depending on the type of company you apply for. Usually, these jobs are performed in English and do not require Japanese fluency. But employers often look for bilingual applicants, especially if most employees at the company are Japanese citizens.
Many reputable Japanese companies and organizations believe that JLPT is the benchmark that they seek when hiring foreign nationals in Japan. Some companies prefer that job applicants be fluent in the Japanese language. Others prefer the applicants to at least be familiar with business-level Japanese language, or Keigo.
Keigo is the formal form of the Japanese language. This specific form is often used in business and formal settings. In addition, it can certainly get complicated. You should know when to use different verbs and forms depending on:
- Yourself
- Fellow Coworkers
- Boss/Higher Ranking Positions
Do I need to take the JLPT Test?
The JLPT (The Japanese Language Proficiency Test) is a test specifically for people who are keen on immersing themselves in the Japanese language. The JLPT certifications are especially useful for people who are seeking employment or education advancement in Japan.
The JLPT-N2 certificate is usually the minimum prerequisite for many employers in Japan. Many foreigners who want to work in Japan must have a JLPT-N2 certificate to get a job other than an English teacher. In addition, the higher your JLPT ranking is, the better your career position and salary.
Others find the JLPT certificate as an individual assessment to personally track their Japanese ability level. Furthermore, a lot of students enjoy Japanese culture and enjoy immersing themselves in the language.
JLPT Ranking System
The JLPT has 5 levels of difficulty: N1 being the most difficult and N5 being the most proficient in the Japanese Language. Here is what the ranking systems mean for JLPT students:
- N1: The ability to fully comprehend and understand Japanese in a variety of circumstances; read, write, and listen on various topics with logical complexity
- N2: The ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations, and in a variety of circumstances to a certain extent
- N3: The ability to understand Japanese in everyday situations to a certain extent
- N4: The ability to understand basic Japanese
- N5: The ability to understand some basic Japanese
Overall, the JLPT-N2 and above certification are required for more advanced positions. Many companies in Japan would acknowledge the JLPT-N2 certifications and above.
JLPT-N3 is considered to be in the middle ground of the JLPT rank system. It reflects that you have not completely grasped the basics of Japanese, but you are on your way to improvement. Furthermore, a few companies would still consider a JLPT-N3 to work for them.
JLPT-N5 and JLPT-N4 however, do not hold much value. These first two JLPT ranks are usually considered nothing more than to reflect the personal improvement of your Japanese proficiency or to show that you are keen on learning and working towards attaining higher Japanese proficiency.
Components of the JLPT-N2 Exam
The JLPT-N2 is broken down into three sections which are:
- Reading
- Language Knowledge (Grammar/Vocabulary)
- Listening
Each of these sections is worth 60 points. To pass the JLPT, you must score at least 19 points in each section; total of at least 100 points. If you score the minimum points of 19 in each section and get a total of at least 100 points, you will be able to pass the JLPT-N2.
During the JLPT itself, the section will be divided into two parts. The first section will merge language knowledge and reading altogether with the given time of 105 minutes. The second section will be the listening section with the given time of 50 minutes.
Reading Section
Many Students believe that the JLPT-N2 reading section is the longest and most difficult part. Out of the three sections, reading should be the one to put more time and focus on. The reading section includes:
- Comprehension of Short, and Medium Passages
- Integrated Comprehension
- Thematic Comprehension
- Information Retrieval
In addition, it’s no surprise that kanji, hiragana, and katakana will be implemented in the reading section. Therefore, you should take your time in not only being able to memorize individual kanjis, hiragana, and katakana but also how each of them is applied.
Language Knowledge: Grammars & Vocabulary
The Language Knowledge section will include two main materials: Japanese grammar and vocabulary. For the vocabulary part, it will include items such as:
- Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana Reading
- Orthography
- Word Formation
- Contextually Defined Expression
- Paraphrases
- Usage
Teachers and tutors alike have mentioned that if you want to pass the JLPT-N2, you should be able to at least know 1,000 kanji. You do not have to memorize how to write the kanjis. The important thing is to know what each kanji means.
The vocabulary itself is not too different from studying kanji. The key is to memorize and understand. As a student who is taking the JLPT-N2 test, you must be familiar with at least 6,000 vocabulary words in total.
For the grammar part, it will include the following items:
- Selecting Grammar Form
- Sentence Composition
- Text Grammar
Being immersed in people who frequently speak Japanese on a daily basis, can especially help you in grammar (and listening). Its particularly important in knowing grammar points in certain types of situations, which is a bit harder to grasp when learning from a textbook.
Listening
Many students have claimed that the Listening section is the easiest part of the test. Many students who have already reached JLPT-N2 are most likely fans of Japanese anime, music, and TV series. Therefore, listening to Japanese is already a familiarity to most. The Listening section includes items such as:
- Task-Based Comprehension
- Comprehension of Key Points
- Comprehension of General Outlines
- Quick Response
- Integrated Comprehension
Resources and Guides on Passing the JLPT-N2
Studying for a test is an important aspect of every student’s success. But to prepare for a test properly is the key to reach beyond the stars. There are numerous ways in which you can prepare for the JLPT-N2.
Most study guides have broken down the three sections of the test into five materials which are:
- Vocabulary
- Reading
- Listening
It is wise to begin studying the vocabulary, grammar, and kanji first. From here, you will be able to comprehend a significant amount of the problems in the reading, and perhaps, the listening section of the materials. Focus on increasing reading speed, identifying kanjis, and overall comprehension.
Once you have mastered the first three materials, you should be confident enough to ace through the reading section. However, why not take the extra step and improve your Japanese reading skills a little bit further. Here are a few platforms to use to improve your reading skills:
- Online Articles for Elementary School Students; Yahoo! Japan Kids, Gakken Kids Net, NHK for School
- Japanese Newspapers, especially the kids’ section
- Middle School Student Workbooks
The listening section should be studied last as it is the easiest section out of the test. However, it is not to be underestimated as well. In addition, to focusing on the first three materials, there are numerous ways of improving your Japanese listening skills which include:
- Listening Books/CD: This will be expanded later. But countless JLPT guides include the listening section of the test. They come in different conversational formats as well
- Japanese Drama: A globally popular genre, JPOP is one creative and fun way to improve your listening skills. Get used to the lyrics, sing along if you have to.
- Japanese Movies/TV Series/Anime: Probably the most popular choice of many JLPT students. When it comes to Japanese culture, anime may be considered as one of the spearheads. Nothing is considered more enjoyable than to learn by watching Japanese anime series such as Naruto or Dragon Ball Z.
- Friendly Conversations: If you have family members or friends who speak fluent Japanese, then this is the perfect time to get to know them a bit more. Converse with them in a variety of subjects. The more you talk, the better you learn.
JLPT-N2 Prep Guides
There are a lot of books out there to prepare you for your JLPT-N2 Tests. Below are the lists of recommended textbooks:
- Shinkanzen Master N2 Series: Recommended by a lot of users and bloggers alike, these grammars and reading books are probably one of the best out there. They have little use of English text, which forces the student to grapple with the book.
- Pattern Betsu Tettei N2: all-in-one book covers the three sections of the JLPT. It gives concise explanations of the grammar patterns.
- N2 Tango 2500: Recommended by many users. To get the most out of it, purchase the N1 along with the N2. Use the N1 version as a quick review. In addition, some of the vocabulary section is not standardized.
- Nihongo So-motame N2: The So-matome series is arranged in courses which include vocabulary, kanji, reading, and grammar. Each book has between 6 to 8 weeks of course work that you have to go through. It makes the entire series and study experience easy.
On top of textbooks, there are online and virtual resources as well that many students can utilize to prepare for the JLPT-N2 test. These online and virtual resources include YouTube channels, help-sites, and phone applications alike:
- Decks by Memrise: Memrise is a site similar to other self-learning language sites such as Duolingo. In Memrise, you can watch real conversational language from native speakers. In addition to that, you can subscribe to several decks to help you out, with one in particular called “JLPT N2 Memrise Beta”
- Nihongo No Mori: A YouTube Channel which has several videos specifically for JLPT levels that you are speaking.
- JapaneseTest4You: This specific website has a significant amount of materials to be studied specifically for JLPT. In addition, they have tabs for all JLPT levels.
- TangoRisto: Tangoristo is a mobile app that helps you learn Japanese faster through news articles that are updated and processed every day. The app highlights vocabulary by JLPT level and sorts news articles by each individuals’ difficulty level.
- Satori Reader: Satori Reader is a mobile app that provides carefully curated, level-appropriate content used to practice and grow your Japanese proficiency. It bridges the gap between the textbook Japanese that most students start with and the real-life conversation and communication.
Always important to remember that textbooks and online resources can only go so far. Make sure to indulge in Japanese used on the daily. Watch TV shows, listen to the Japanese radio, learn all of the details that you are unable to take away from textbooks and apps.
Best Way to Take the Test
The JLPT-N2 test has two parts to it. The first part consists of:
- Grammar
- Vocabulary
- Kanji
- Reading section
The second part of the test is the listening section. Most people who take the JLPT-N2 test go through the sections in order, starting with the grammar, vocab, and kanji, and then continuing on the reading section. However, there is a more effective way to complete the test.
It is recommended by students who pass (with flying colors) the JLPT-N2 test to do the reading part first. Complete the most difficult part of the test while your brain is still fresh. The questions within the grammar, vocab, and kanji sections are much shorter and are very direct. Therefore, it is much easier to complete.
The second part of the test is the listening part. Since the whole section involves you listening to Japanese conversations, you can kind of relax in this part. Most of the questions only have 3 choices. Therefore, you have a 33% chance of getting it right by just guessing if you find yourself unsure.
A reminder to use your time wisely during the test. You only have 105 minutes to finish the first part of the test. There are roughly around 75 questions: specifically, around 32 vocabulary and kanji questions, 22 grammar questions, and 21 reading questions. For the listening part of the test, you have 50 minutes to complete them.