Learn · JFT-Basic
JFT-Basic test format and scoring, explained
The JFT-Basic (Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese) checks whether you can use the Japanese you need for everyday life and work in Japan. Here is how the test is built, how it is scored, and what the rules are on test day.
Who takes the JFT-Basic
The test is made by the Japan Foundation for people whose first language is not Japanese, mainly before they come to work in Japan. Its result is used for three residence statuses: Specified Skilled Worker (i), Employment for Skill Development, and Student (for enrolment in a Japanese language school).
How the test is given
- It is a computer-based test (CBT) taken at a test centre. You read questions on screen and hear the audio through headphones.
- Instructions are in English. A Your Language button shows them in other languages, such as Indonesian, Nepali, Myanmar, Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Mongolian, Uzbek, Bengali, Lao and Malay.
- Each listening audio can be played up to two times.
The four sections
| Section | What it tests |
|---|---|
| Script and Vocabulary | Reading kanji and words, choosing the right word for a sentence |
| Conversation and Expression | Grammar and the right phrase for a situation |
| Listening Comprehension | Short conversations and announcements at work, in shops, on trains |
| Reading Comprehension | Notices, messages, schedules and short texts |
There are about 50 questions in total, around 12 in each section, and you have 60 minutes for the whole test. There is no time limit per section, so you decide how to spend the hour.
Two rules change how you should work: you can review and change answers inside a section, but once you move to the next section you cannot go back; and in Listening you can only move forward, question by question.
How the score works
Your score is a scaled score from 10 to 250. It is calculated by a statistical method called equating, so it is not simply the number of correct answers. The score decides your level:
| Score | Level shown |
|---|---|
| 200–250 | A2.2 (A2) |
| 175–199 | A2.1 (reached A1, progressing toward A2) |
| 145–174 | A1 |
| below 145 | not assessed (shown as “*”) |
Until July 2026 the test only judged A2. Since August 2026 it also judges A1 and A2.1.
Results and retakes
- Your total score and level appear on screen at the end of the test.
- The official score report is posted on the Prometric website within 5 business days. It also shows your percentage of correct answers in each section.
- Results do not expire.
- You can retake the test only if your score is 199 or lower, and there must be at least 45 days between the two test dates. Once you score 200 or more, you cannot take it again.
How to prepare
- Practise the full 60 minutes. About 50 questions in an hour is a little over one minute per question. Timing is a skill: practise it with full mock tests, not only single questions.
- Do not leave a section too early. Check every answer before you move on, because you cannot come back.
- Train your listening for two plays. Listen once for the situation and once for the detail the question asks about.
- Review every mistake. Knowing why the wrong options are wrong is how your score goes up between attempts.
Sources (checked 15 October 2026). Rules and dates can change — always confirm with the official pages before you book or apply.
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