Japanese refers to the language, culture, and people of Japan, which is an island country located in East Asia. Japanese is the official language of Japan and is spoken by approximately 128 million people worldwide. It is a member of the Japonic language family and is characterized by a complex writing system that includes three scripts: kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana, and katakana (two syllabic scripts). The Japanese culture is known for its distinctive art, cuisine, fashion, and traditions, and has had a significant impact on global popular culture.
The examination body for Japanese language proficiency is the Japan Foundation and the Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES). They jointly administer the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), which is a standardized test to measure and certify the Japanese language proficiency of non-native speakers.
The JLPT consists of five levels, from N5 (beginner) to N1 (advanced). The test assesses the test-takers’ abilities in reading, listening, and grammar/vocabulary.
Apart from JLPT, there are other proficiency tests and certifications for Japanese language learners, such as the Business Japanese Proficiency Test (BJT) and the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU). These tests are also administered by the Japan Foundation and JEES