Guides
Straight answers to the questions our students ask most. No fluff, no filler.
Ten free JFT-Basic mock exams, and the order to sit them in
Ten free full-length JFT-Basic mocks, each built around a different working life in Japan. What each set stresses, and how to fit them into 8-10 weeks.
Read more โHow to register for JFT-Basic on Prometric, step by step
Registration happens on Prometric, not on the Japan Foundation site. Here is the whole process, the two places people get stuck, and what to check before you pay.
Read more โJLPT levels explained: N5 to N1, and which one you need
What each JLPT level means, roughly how long each takes, and which level is worth your time depending on why you want it.
Read more โJLPT N4: the level that qualifies you for the SSW visa
N4 is one of the two ways to meet the Specified Skilled Worker language requirement. Here is what it covers, and how it compares with JFT-Basic.
Read more โ
JFT-Basic
The exam itself: scoring, sections, registration, and what happens on the day.
Ten free JFT-Basic mock exams, and the order to sit them in
Ten free full-length JFT-Basic mocks, each built around a different working life in Japan. What each set stresses, and how to fit them into 8-10 weeks.
How to register for JFT-Basic on Prometric, step by step
Registration happens on Prometric, not on the Japan Foundation site. Here is the whole process, the two places people get stuck, and what to check before you pay.
JFT-Basic passing score: what 200 points actually means
You need 200 of 250 points to pass JFT-Basic. Here is what that score represents, why there is no section minimum, and how to tell whether you are close.
JFT-Basic Mock Exam 10: answers and explanations
All 48 questions of Mock Exam 10, the final rehearsal across work, shops, transport, clinic and city hall, with answers and the traps explained.
JFT-Basic Mock Exam 9: answers and explanations
Answers and explanations for all 48 questions of JFT-Basic Mock Exam 9, a set on paperwork and the neighbourhood: city hall, the bank and rubbish days.
JFT-Basic Mock Exam 8: answers and explanations
All 48 questions of JFT-Basic Mock Exam 8 answered and explained. The theme: getting around and staying well - trains, buses, the clinic, the pharmacy.
JFT-Basic Mock Exam 7: answers and explanations
All 48 questions of JFT-Basic Mock Exam 7 answered and explained, with listening transcripts. This set leans on hotel and accommodation work.
JFT-Basic Mock Exam 6: answers and explanations
All 48 questions of JFT-Basic Mock Exam 6 answered and explained. This set is themed on farm and fishery work, from greenhouses to the port.
JFT-Basic Mock Exam 5: answers and explanations
Answers and explanations for all 48 questions of JFT-Basic Mock Exam 5, a set built around construction sites and building cleaning.
Working out an unknown word from context on JFT-Basic
You will meet words you do not know on JFT-Basic. The kanji, the particles and the sentence around them usually tell you enough to answer anyway.
JFT-Basic Mock Exam 4: answers and explanations
All 48 questions of JFT-Basic Mock Exam 4 answered and explained, with a food service theme: orders, menus, allergies and the shift rota.
ใใฃใฑใ, ใใใ, ใใใใ: following a change of plan in JFT-Basic listening
Many JFT-Basic listening items change their mind halfway through. The words that signal it, and how to track who finally does what.
JFT-Basic Mock Exam 3: answers and explanations
Answers and explanations for all 48 questions of JFT-Basic Mock Exam 3, set in a care home: residents, meals, baths, handovers and families.
JFT-Basic Mock Exam 2: answers and explanations
Answers and explanations for all 48 questions of JFT-Basic Mock Exam 2, a set built around the factory floor: shifts, safety gear and hygiene.
Numbers, prices and times in JFT-Basic listening
Numbers are easy on paper and hard at speaking speed. The sound changes, prices and corrections that cost marks in JFT-Basic listening.
JFT-Basic Mock Exam 1: answers and explanations
Answers and explanations for all 48 questions of JFT-Basic Mock Exam 1, the gentle set on your first weeks in Japan: shops, rubbish days, the station.
Reading emails and messages on JFT-Basic: who, what, and by when
Message and email texts on JFT-Basic come down to three questions: who wrote it, what they want, and the deadline. How to find each one fast.
ใใคใใใใพใ, ใใคใใใใพใงใ and the set phrases JFT-Basic tests
The set phrases of Japanese working life, when each one is used, and what you say back. The Conversation and Expression section tests all of them.
Kanji reading traps on JFT-Basic: dakuten, long vowels and small ใฃ
Kanji reading questions are lost on one sound: a missing dakuten, a short vowel, a dropped ใฃ. The five traps, with original examples.
How JFT-Basic wrong options are built, and how to use that
Wrong options on JFT-Basic are not random. Most follow five patterns. Learn them and you stop falling for the answer that was written to catch you.
Timetables, rotas and price lists: the JFT-Basic reading items you search, not read
Some JFT-Basic reading texts are tables. You do not read them top to bottom - you search them. How to handle timetables, shift rotas and price lists.
Morning meetings, safety talks and voicemail: one-speaker listening on JFT-Basic
Some JFT-Basic listening items have only one speaker: a briefing, a safety talk, a voicemail. Here is what to listen for, with original example lines.
Taking JFT-Basic in your thirties, forties or later
There is no upper age limit, and the real obstacles are time and method rather than memory. What changes, and what does not.
How to use JFT-Basic mock tests properly
Most candidates take mock tests the way they check the weather. Here is how to make them the thing that actually moves your score.
You scored A1 on JFT-Basic. What now?
An A1 result means 145 to 174 points. It is not a near miss, and treating it like one is the most expensive mistake available to you.
JFT-Basic is a computer test: what the screen actually does
If you have never sat a CBT, the interface itself can cost you points. Here is how the test behaves on screen, and what to rehearse before the day.
How long is a JFT-Basic result valid?
Your JFT-Basic result has a validity window for visa purposes, and it is shorter than most candidates assume. Here is what that means for your timing.
Your JFT-Basic result: the score on screen, and the official one
You get a provisional score immediately and an official result within about five business days. Here is the difference, and which one anyone else will ask for.
The JFT-Basic Conversation and Expression section explained
This section tests whether you would say the right thing in a real situation. Here is what it asks, and why politeness level decides most of the answers.
What does JFT-Basic cost?
The JFT-Basic fee is set per country and paid to Prometric, not the Japan Foundation. Here is how to find your real number, and the costs around it people forget.
Starting JFT-Basic from zero: the first thirty days
What to do in your first month if you have never studied Japanese, and the two mistakes that cost beginners the most time.
Free JFT-Basic resources that are actually worth using
You can prepare for JFT-Basic on almost no budget. Here is what is genuinely free and genuinely useful โ and what to be careful of.
The grammar you actually need for JFT-Basic
A2-level grammar, used rather than recited. Here are the structures that decide answers on JFT-Basic, and the ones you can safely leave alone.
How many words do you need for JFT-Basic?
There is no official word list. Here is the realistic vocabulary size for a 200-point pass, and why which words matters far more than how many.
How much kanji do you need for JFT-Basic?
Less than you fear, and in one direction only. JFT-Basic asks you to recognise kanji, never to write it โ which changes how you should study.
You scored 175โ199 on JFT-Basic. You are one section away.
An A2.1 result is a genuine near miss, and it is usually caused by a single underperforming section. Here is how to find it and close the gap.
JFT-Basic or the skills test first? Sequencing the SSW requirements
The language test and the sector skills test are separate requirements with separate schedules. Which to sit first, and why it usually matters.
What JFT-Basic questions actually look like
A walk through the question formats in all four sections, so that nothing on the screen is unfamiliar on the day.
The JFT-Basic Reading section: signs, notices and short messages
JFT-Basic reading is not essays. It is the notices and messages you meet at work in Japan, and it is where careless readers lose points.
Failed JFT-Basic? How soon you can retake it, and when you should
JFT-Basic runs roughly monthly and you can sit it again, but the useful question is not how soon you may โ it is how soon it is worth paying for.
Why JFT-Basic scores are out of 250, and what "equating" means
JFT-Basic uses scaled scoring, not a percentage. Here is what that means, why you cannot get an easy paper, and why counting questions misleads you.
The JFT-Basic Script and Vocabulary section: the cheapest points on the test
Script and Vocabulary is the section where study hours convert to points fastest. Here is what it asks, and why it deserves your last four weeks.
Can you pass JFT-Basic by self-study?
Yes โ and for some people it is the wrong choice anyway. Here is an honest account of when self-study works, and the specific point at which it usually fails.
A three-month JFT-Basic plan from a standing start
Twelve weeks from no Japanese to a 200-point pass, at ten to twelve hours a week. Month by month, with the checkpoints that tell you it is working.
Sixty minutes, four sections, one clock: JFT-Basic time management
The sections are not separately timed. That single fact causes more lost points than any grammar gap, and it is fixable in two practice sessions.
JFT-Basic, NAT-TEST, J.TEST: which Japanese exams actually count?
Several Japanese proficiency tests exist. Only some are accepted for the SSW visa, and the difference matters before you pay a fee.
What to bring to your JFT-Basic test
A short list, because getting it wrong means being turned away at the door with no refund and no appeal. Identification is the part that matters.
Who can take JFT-Basic?
The eligibility rules are simpler than most candidates expect, but there are conditions worth confirming before you book. Here is what to check.
Why people fail JFT-Basic
Most failures are not caused by weak Japanese. They are caused by four specific, fixable things โ and knowing which one is yours is most of the fix.
Your JFT-Basic mock score stopped improving. What now?
Scores that sit at the same level for a month mean the study method has stopped matching the gap. Four diagnoses and what each one needs.
Studying for JFT-Basic with a partner
A study partner doubles your listening practice and halves your dropout rate - if you use the time for the things solo study cannot do.
A1, A2.1, A2.2: what your JFT-Basic result level means
Since August 2026 JFT-Basic reports a CEFR level alongside your score. Here is what each band means, why it matters for a near-miss, and what it does not change.
The kanji pairs that catch JFT-Basic candidates
Distractors in the vocabulary section are built from shared components and similar shapes. These are the pairs that do the damage.
The katakana words that keep appearing in JFT-Basic
Workplace Japanese is full of loanwords, and they are only easy if you can read katakana fluently. The list that recurs in the exam.
The Japanese question words, and the answers JFT-Basic expects
ใชใซ, ใฉใ, ใใค, ใ ใ, ใใใ, ใฉใ. Catching the question word is what turns a listening clip you half understood into a correct answer.
Dates, days and the calendar words JFT-Basic expects
The days of the week, the irregular dates, and the counting patterns that appear in schedules, notices and announcements.
Time expressions in JFT-Basic: from, until, by, and every
ใใ, ใพใง, ใพใงใซ, ใใจใซ. The listening and reading sections are decided by these small words far more often than by vocabulary.
ใใใ, ใใใ, ใใใ: the giving verbs, explained simply
Three verbs for one action, chosen by who benefits and who is speaking. It confuses every learner, and JFT-Basic tests it.
Asking politely in Japanese: the request patterns JFT-Basic tests
May I, could you, shall I. Four patterns cover almost every request question in the exam, and choosing between them is the whole test.
Trains, buses and directions: transport Japanese for JFT-Basic
Station announcements and directions are a listening staple. The vocabulary is small, and the questions turn on two or three words.
Hospital and clinic Japanese: the words worth knowing before you need them
Explaining where it hurts, understanding an instruction from a nurse, reading a pharmacy label. Useful for JFT-Basic and essential in Japan.
The JFT-Basic listening section, and why it costs people the pass
Listening is the section you cannot re-read, cannot slow down, and cannot cram. Here is what it actually tests, and the study that moves the score.
Shops, prices and service Japanese for JFT-Basic
Buying something, asking for a bag, understanding a price change. The exam tests the transactions you will make in your first week in Japan.
The workplace vocabulary JFT-Basic actually tests
The exam is built around working life in Japan. These are the words that keep appearing - shifts, breaks, instructions, equipment and reporting.
How to read a Japanese notice: the JFT-Basic reading skill in one page
Rubbish schedules, shift changes, machine instructions. The reading section is built from practical texts, and they are read differently from prose.
Guessing on JFT-Basic: there is no penalty, so never leave a blank
No negative marking means a guess is free and a blank is a guaranteed zero. How to guess well, and when to stop thinking and move.
Headphones and audio on JFT-Basic: get this right before the clip starts
The listening section gives you one pass at each clip. Sorting out volume and headphones before the test begins is free points.
Practising JFT-Basic on a phone: what works and what does not
Your phone is the study tool you actually carry. Here is what it is good for in JFT-Basic preparation, and the one thing it cannot rehearse.
You did not pass JFT-Basic. Here is the plan for attempt two
A structured six-to-eight week plan for a second attempt, built around what your first score band actually tells you.
Exam nerves on JFT-Basic, and what actually helps
Nerves cost real points on a listening test. Here is what reduces them before the day, and what to do when the first question goes wrong.
The night before JFT-Basic
What to do the evening before the exam, and the four things worth checking before you sleep. Cramming is not one of them.
The final two weeks before JFT-Basic: what to do and what to stop
The last fortnight is not for learning new grammar. Here is what actually moves a score in fourteen days, and what to leave alone.
How to review a mock test so it actually raises your score
Sitting a mock is an hour. Reviewing it properly is two, and it is where the points come from. A method you can repeat after every test.
How to sit our free JFT-Basic mock exam properly
A free mock is only worth the 60 minutes you give it. Here is how to sit ours under conditions that make the result mean something.
JFT-Basic test day: what to expect at the Prometric centre
What happens from arrival to result on JFT-Basic test day, how to manage the single 60-minute clock, and the mistakes that cost people earned points.
JLPT
N5 to N1 โ what each level asks for, and which one is worth your time.
JLPT levels explained: N5 to N1, and which one you need
What each JLPT level means, roughly how long each takes, and which level is worth your time depending on why you want it.
JLPT N4: the level that qualifies you for the SSW visa
N4 is one of the two ways to meet the Specified Skilled Worker language requirement. Here is what it covers, and how it compares with JFT-Basic.
JLPT passing scores, and the sectional minimum that fails people
Every JLPT level has a total pass mark and a minimum for each scoring section. Miss one section and you fail regardless of your total.
JFT-Basic or JLPT: which one do you actually need?
JFT-Basic is faster and gets you the SSW visa. JLPT is the certificate employers ask for by name. Here is how to tell which one your plan requires.
Choosing JLPT study materials without wasting money
Most people buy too much and use too little. Here is what a working set actually looks like, and what to be sceptical of.
How long does each JLPT level take?
Honest ranges for N5 to N1, what makes the difference between the fast and slow end, and why the gaps widen as you climb.
The mistakes that cost people the JLPT
Most JLPT failures come from a short list of avoidable errors, and only some of them are about Japanese. Here they are, in order of frequency.
JLPT for university in Japan: which level do you need?
Japanese-taught degrees generally want N2 or N1, English-taught programmes may want none. Here is how to work out your actual requirement.
Which JLPT level do employers in Japan actually ask for?
N2 is the line most employers draw, and N4 is the visa requirement. Here is what each level realistically opens, and what the JLPT does not prove.
JLPT grammar by level: what changes as you go up
Grammar is not what makes the higher levels hard, but it changes character. Here is what each level adds and where the real difficulty sits.
How to register for the JLPT
Registration opens months ahead, closes early, and works differently in every country. Here is the process and the two deadlines people miss.
How many kanji for each JLPT level?
The commonly cited numbers, why none of them is official, and what actually matters more than the count.
JLPT listening: the section that fails people on the minimum
Listening is where the sectional minimum bites hardest. Here is why, and the practice that actually moves it rather than feeling like it does.
JLPT N1: who actually needs it, and what it costs you to get
N1 is the top of the JLPT. It is a serious commitment, and for many people it is the wrong goal. Here is how to tell whether it is yours.
JLPT N2: the level that changes what jobs you can get
N2 is the level Japanese employers ask for by name. Here is what it covers, how long it really takes, and why the jump from N3 is the hardest on the ladder.
JLPT N3: the bridge level, and the one most learners underestimate
N3 is where textbook Japanese meets real Japanese. Here is what it covers, why it is harder than the jump to N4, and who actually needs it.
JLPT N3 or N2: where the real career difference is
N2 is the level Japanese employers ask for. N3 is the step before it. Here is the gap, why it is the hardest on the ladder, and how to plan for it.
JLPT N4 or N3: the jump is bigger than it looks
N4 gets you the visa. N3 gets you taken more seriously. Here is the real size of the gap between them, and when to attempt it.
JLPT N5: what it covers and whether it is worth taking
N5 is the entry level of the JLPT. Here is what it tests, how long it takes to reach, and the honest case for and against sitting it at all.
JLPT N5 or N4: which should you register for?
N4 is the level that counts for the SSW visa; N5 counts for very little. Here is how to decide, and the test that answers it honestly.
JLPT reading: the section that runs out of time
At N2 and N1, most reading failures are candidates who did not finish. Here is how to train for the constraint that actually fails people.
JLPT results: when they arrive and what they tell you
Results come roughly two months after the test, with a section breakdown that is genuinely useful for a retake. Here is how to read yours.
JLPT test day: what to expect
A paper exam, a long morning, and a schedule you do not control. Here is how the day runs and what costs people points that they had already earned.
JLPT time management: the sections are timed separately
You cannot carry time between JLPT sections, and reading is where people run out. Here is how to pace each part of the paper.
How many words for each JLPT level?
The usual estimates, why they are estimates, and why which words you learn matters more than how many.
Retaking the JLPT: what to do with the six months in between
A failed JLPT costs you half a year, so the gap matters more than the retake. Here is how to read your result and what to do with the time.
How the JLPT fits the Specified Skilled Worker visa
N4 satisfies the SSW language requirement, and so does JFT-Basic. Which to sit depends on your timeline more than your ability.
How long you can spend on each JLPT question
The section timings, divided by the question count, give a per-question budget. Knowing it in advance is what stops the reading section collapsing.
Scanning: finding the answer in a JLPT reading passage
The information-retrieval questions are not comprehension tests. They are search tasks, and searching is a different skill from reading.
Training your ear for JLPT listening
Listening improves slowest and is scored with its own minimum. Four training methods that work, in the order to add them.
The mistake notebook: the cheapest way to raise a JLPT score
One page per week of your own errors is worth more than any textbook chapter, because it is targeted at exactly what you do not know.
How to use JLPT past papers without wasting them
Official papers are a limited resource. Used carelessly they become memory tests. A method for getting the most from a small supply.
Flashcard app or paper notebook for Japanese vocabulary?
Apps schedule review better; paper makes you process the word more deeply. Which to use, and the hybrid most of our students end up with.
You passed N3. What is worth doing next?
N3 is the level where the ladder stops being the obvious plan. Three routes - N2, work, or consolidation - and how to choose.
A six-month plan for JLPT N4 from beginner
Six months at an hour a day takes most beginners to N4 - the level that satisfies the SSW language requirement. Month by month.
Can you pass JLPT N5 in three months?
For most people starting from zero, yes - at about an hour a day. Here is the month-by-month plan and the two things that derail it.
Do you need to write kanji by hand for the JLPT?
The JLPT is entirely multiple choice, so handwriting is never tested. That has consequences for how you should study kanji - and its limits.
Is N2 worth it for working in Japan?
N2 is the level employers name most often. Here is what it opens, what it does not, and when N3 plus experience is the better investment.
Sitting the JLPT in Japan or in your own country
The exam is identical; the logistics are not. Dates, seats, ID rules and results timing all differ depending on where you sit.
JLPT application: the photo, the ID and the mistakes that cost a sitting
Applications are refused for small, avoidable reasons. A checklist for the photo, the identification and the voucher.
JLPT sectional minimums: how people fail with a passing total
Every JLPT level has a minimum score in each section. Clear the total but miss one minimum and the result is a fail. This changes how you revise.
How often to sit JLPT mock tests, and when to start
Mock tests are measurement, not study. Too few and you are guessing; too many and you are spending study time on measurement.
Taking notes in the JLPT listening section
You are allowed to write. What you write, and what you do not, makes a measurable difference on the longer questions.
N3 reading: the problem is speed, not vocabulary
Most candidates who fail N3 reading understand the passages. They just do not finish. How to read faster without reading worse.
The N4 grammar checklist
A single list of the grammar N4 expects, grouped so you can tick off what you know and find the gaps quickly.
A twelve-week vocabulary plan for JLPT N5
N5 needs roughly 800 words. Here is how to get them in twelve weeks without burning out, and which ones to learn first.
Working in Japan
The Specified Skilled Worker route: skills tests, employers, visas and costs.
Agency red flags: what to check before you pay anybody
This system attracts intermediaries, and some of them are predatory. Here are the specific warning signs, and the questions that separate the two.
SSW (i) and SSW (ii): the difference that decides whether you can stay
Type 1 is capped at five years with no family. Type 2 has no cap, allows family, and counts towards permanent residency. Here is how to get from one to the other.
The Specified Skilled Worker visa, explained
What the SSW visa is, the four things you need to get one, and the difference between SSW (i) and (ii) that decides whether you can stay.
You passed JFT-Basic. What actually happens next?
Passing JFT-Basic clears the language requirement for the SSW visa โ and that is one of four steps. Here is the rest of the route to working in Japan.
Can you bring your family to Japan on an SSW visa?
Not on SSW (i). Yes on SSW (ii). That single difference is the reason Type 2 matters, and it should shape your plan from before you arrive.
The Certificate of Eligibility: the slow step nobody warns you about
The COE is applied for in Japan by your employer, takes months, and is largely outside your control. Here is what it is and how to keep it moving.
Can you change jobs on an SSW visa?
Yes โ within your field, and with immigration paperwork. Here is how it works, and why it is the most important right the SSW visa gives you.
What it actually costs to get to Japan on an SSW visa
A realistic breakdown of the costs between deciding to go and your first payday, and the one line that ruins people.
What a registered support organisation actually does for you
Every SSW worker is entitled to a defined set of support. Knowing what it covers is how you tell a functioning placement from a bad one.
SSW accommodation: hotel work, and the field that demands the most Japanese
Accommodation is customer-facing from day one, which makes it the SSW field where the language minimum is least sufficient.
SSW agriculture: seasonal, rural, and often underestimated
Agriculture has steady SSW intake and a working pattern unlike any other field. Here is what to understand before choosing it.
SSW building cleaning: the most accessible field on the list
Building cleaning has steady demand, a comparatively approachable skills test, and urban placements. Here is the realistic picture.
SSW construction: the field with the clearest long-term route
Construction was among the first fields to offer SSW (ii), which makes it one of the strongest routes to staying in Japan long term.
SSW food service: suspended to new applications since April 2026
The food service field hit its cap and stopped accepting new applications in April 2026. Here is what that means if it was your plan.
SSW manufacturing: the largest intake, and the quietest Japanese
Industrial product manufacturing and food and beverage manufacturing take large numbers of SSW workers. Here is what factory work in Japan actually involves.
SSW nursing care: three tests, and the route that has no five-year cap
Care work needs an extra Japanese test most candidates miss, has no SSW (ii), and offers a better long-term route than any other field. Here is how it works.
SSW pay: what you are actually paid, and what comes out of it
The advertised wage is not what reaches your bank account. Here is what gets deducted, what is legitimate, and what should worry you.
The SSW fields: which industries accept Specified Skilled Workers
Sixteen fields at present, with more proposed and at least one closed to new applications. Here is the list and what to check before you commit.
The SSW skills evaluation test: the requirement people forget
Passing JFT-Basic is the language requirement. The skills test is separate, runs on its own schedule, and is what usually decides your timeline.
From SSW to permanent residency in Japan: is it realistic?
Time on SSW (i) does not count. Time on SSW (ii) does. Here is the honest shape of the route, and how long it really takes.
SSW or technical intern training: which route to Japan?
Technical intern training is being replaced. Here is how the two systems differ, and why SSW is the better route for almost everyone starting now.
Renewing your SSW status of residence
SSW (i) is renewed periodically up to a five-year total. What is checked, what causes problems, and when to start.
The Japanese safety vocabulary every SSW worker should know before arriving
Signs, shouted warnings and safety briefings use a small, fixed set of words. Learn them before you need them.
Japanese workplace culture: what actually differs
Not the stereotypes. The specific habits that surprise new SSW workers, and the three that matter most in the first month.
Housing and rent for SSW workers in Japan
Most SSW employers arrange accommodation. What is normal, what is not, and the questions to ask before you accept an offer.
Sending money home from Japan
Remittances are the point of the job for many SSW workers. How the transfer actually works, what it costs, and the records to keep.
Tax basics for SSW workers in Japan
Income tax, residence tax and the year-end adjustment - explained in plain terms, including the bill that surprises people in year two.
Health insurance and pension for SSW workers in Japan
Two deductions appear on every payslip. What they pay for, why they are compulsory, and what you can claim back if you leave.
Your first month working in Japan: the Japanese you will actually use
The gap between passing a language test and functioning at work is real. Here is what fills it, and how fast.
Reading an SSW employment contract before you sign it
The contract is the only enforceable description of your job. Ten things to check, and the clauses that should stop you signing.
The SSW job interview: the questions that actually come up
Most SSW interviews are short, in Japanese, and built from the same dozen questions. Prepare these and the rest follows.
What Japanese employers actually look for in an SSW candidate
The exams make you eligible. They do not get you hired. Five things that decide between two candidates with the same certificates.
The SSW railway route
Railway work joined the SSW fields in 2024, covering maintenance, station work and rolling stock. What each stream involves.
The SSW road transport route: bus, taxi and truck driving
Driving work was added to the SSW fields in 2024, and it carries requirements the other fields do not - including a Japanese licence.
The SSW timber industry route
Sawmills, plywood and wood product manufacturing - a 2024 addition to the SSW fields. What the work is and what it asks of you.
The SSW forestry route
Forestry was added to the Specified Skilled Worker programme in 2024. What the work involves, and who it suits.
The SSW shipbuilding and ship machinery route
Welding, painting, fitting and machining in Japanese shipyards. A field where existing trade skills transfer and pay tends to reflect them.
The SSW food and beverage manufacturing route
Factory work producing food and drink: what the job is, what the skills test asks, and why hygiene Japanese matters more than you expect.
The SSW fishery and aquaculture route
Fishing vessels and aquaculture farms are two very different working lives inside one SSW field. What to expect from each.
The SSW aviation route: ground handling and aircraft maintenance
Two quite different jobs sit inside one SSW field. What each involves, what the tests ask, and who each suits.
The SSW automobile maintenance route
What the automobile maintenance field covers, what the skills test asks, and what the work actually looks like in a Japanese garage.
Studying Japanese
Method rather than exam admin: kana, kanji, grammar, listening and staying consistent.
How to choose a Japanese language school without being sold to
This market has good schools and bad ones, and the bad ones advertise harder. Here are the questions that separate them.
Free or paid: what is actually worth spending money on
Almost everything you need to pass these exams is free. Here is the short list of things that are genuinely worth paying for, from a school that sells one of them.
Japanese counters: the part of numbers that catches everyone
You cannot just say "three" in Japanese. Counters decide exam answers and confuse every learner. Here are the ones you actually need.
Japanese numbers, dates and times: the highest-value vocabulary there is
Numbers and times decide more exam questions than any other category, and they are full of irregular readings. Here is what to drill.
Japanese particles: the small words that decide exam answers
Particles carry who did what, when and by when. They are short, unstressed, and they decide more questions than any vocabulary item.
The ใฆ-form: the most useful thing in beginner Japanese
More grammar attaches to the ใฆ-form than to any other verb form. Learn it properly and a large part of the language opens up at once.
Japanese verb groups, and why you need to tell them apart
Every conjugation in Japanese depends on which of three groups a verb belongs to. Here is how to identify them quickly and reliably.
Kanji for beginners: what to learn, and what to ignore
Kanji is less of an obstacle than its reputation suggests, provided you learn the right thing. For exam purposes that means recognition, in words.
Keigo basics: the polite Japanese you actually need at work
Full keigo is a long project. The set phrases that get you through a Japanese workplace are not, and they are what the exams test.
Learning hiragana: two weeks, and do not skip it
Hiragana is the two weeks of work that everything else depends on. Here is how to get it to automatic, and why "good enough" is not.
Learning katakana, and why people skip it and regret it
Katakana feels less important than hiragana and is not. It carries a large share of the Japanese you meet in daily life and at work.
Online or in-person Japanese classes: which actually works better?
The format matters less than class size and teacher quality. Here is what each genuinely does better, and the one thing that decides it for most people.
Shadowing: ten minutes a day that fixes listening faster than anything else
Repeating Japanese aloud immediately after you hear it trains comprehension speed better than passive listening. Here is how to do it properly.
Spaced repetition: the only vocabulary method that survives contact with real life
Vocabulary is the bottleneck at every level. Spaced repetition is how you keep thousands of words without spending your life reviewing them.
Staying consistent: the only study skill that actually matters
Most people who fail these exams did not study badly. They stopped. Here is what makes a habit survive week five.
Studying Japanese on a phone: what works and what does not
For most people preparing for these exams the phone is the only device available. Here is how to use it well, and what it cannot do.
Studying Japanese around a full-time job
Most people preparing for these exams are working. Here is how to build a study habit that survives a real week rather than an imagined one.
Why Japanese learners plateau, and what actually breaks it
Nearly everyone stalls somewhere between N4 and N3. The causes are specific and fixable, and none of them is talent.
Restarting Japanese after a break
You stopped for three months. Here is how to come back without starting from zero, and why most of what you learned is still there.
Studying Japanese on shift work
Rotating shifts break every study routine that depends on a fixed time. What works instead, from students who did it.
The Japanese you need in your first month in Japan
Not exam Japanese. The words for rubbish day, the post office, the pharmacy and the town hall - the things you need in week one.
Reading Japanese menus, labels and packaging
One of the most immediately useful reading skills in Japan, and one of the easiest to practise before you arrive.
Japanese pronunciation: the four things that actually matter
Japanese pronunciation is easier than most languages, with four exceptions that change meaning. Get these right and you will be understood.
Speaking practice when you have nobody to practise with
Most JFT-Basic candidates have no Japanese speakers around them. Four methods that genuinely build speaking without a partner.
How to use a Japanese dictionary well
Looking up a word is easy. Looking up an unknown kanji, or a conjugated verb you cannot identify, is the skill worth learning.
Choosing a Japanese textbook: Irodori, Minna no Nihongo or Genki
Three mainstream options, three different purposes. Which one fits which goal - and why the choice matters less than finishing one.
Can you learn Japanese from anime?
Yes, as a supplement, with two specific cautions. What it is genuinely good for and what it teaches that you should not repeat at work.
Listening to Japanese podcasts as a beginner
Podcasts are free, plentiful and mostly too hard. How to choose material at the right level and what to do with it.
Build your own Japanese word list - it beats any published one
Published lists are generic. A list built from the words you actually meet is targeted at your gaps and your life.
Textbook Japanese and real Japanese: what changes
Your first real conversation in Japan will sound nothing like your textbook. Here is exactly what differs, and why none of it means you wasted your time.
Japanese word order: why the verb comes last
Japanese sentences are built back to front compared with English. Once you accept that, particles do the rest of the work.
Transitive and intransitive verb pairs in Japanese
ใใใพใ and ใใใพใ are different verbs, and choosing the wrong one changes who did it. A guide to the pairs and the pattern.
An eight-week JFT-Basic study plan that assumes you have a job
A realistic week-by-week plan for reaching 200 points in eight weeks at around ten hours a week, written for people studying around full-time work.
ใจ, ใฐ, ใใ, ใชใ: the four Japanese conditionals
Four ways to say "if", each with its own job. The simplest reliable guide, with the one you should learn first.
The potential form: saying what you can and cannot do
Two ways to say "can" in Japanese, and the particle change that catches everyone. A short guide with the forms that matter.
The ใ-form: past tense, experience and lists
The plain past tense, built exactly like the ใฆ-form. Three patterns make it one of the most useful forms to know.
The ใชใ-form: negatives, prohibitions and obligations
One form, three of the most useful patterns in daily Japanese - must not, do not have to, and must. How to build it and use it.
The plain form: when to drop ใงใ and ใพใ
Plain form is not rude - it is the base of half of Japanese grammar. What it is, how to build it, and when to use it.
Japanese adjectives: the two types, and why it matters
ใ-adjectives and ใช-adjectives conjugate differently, and mixing them up is one of the most visible beginner errors. A short, complete guide.
How long does it take to pass JFT-Basic?
Three to six months from a complete beginner, at 8โ12 hours a week. Here is what changes that estimate, and how to tell when you are genuinely ready to book.
By country
Test centres, fees and the local process, country by country.
Taking JFT-Basic in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a growing source of Specified Skilled Workers. Here is what to check, and why verification matters more in a newer market.
Taking JFT-Basic in Cambodia
Cambodia is among the smaller JFT-Basic markets, where the scarce resource is sittings rather than seats.
Taking JFT-Basic in India
India is a growing JFT-Basic market with published fees and a very large geography. Here is what to plan for.
Taking JFT-Basic in Indonesia
Indonesia is one of the largest sources of Specified Skilled Workers, with test centres across a very large country. Here is what to plan for.
Taking JFT-Basic in Mongolia
Mongolia is a small JFT-Basic market with concentrated infrastructure. Here is what that means for planning.
Taking JFT-Basic in Myanmar
Myanmar candidates face more logistical uncertainty than most. Here is how to build a plan that survives disruption.
Taking JFT-Basic in Nepal
Nepal has some of the heaviest JFT-Basic demand anywhere, which makes booking early the single most important thing you can do.
Taking JFT-Basic in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has fewer candidates and fewer sittings than the largest markets, which changes what you should worry about.
Taking JFT-Basic in Thailand
Thailand offers JFT-Basic, and the calculation for Thai candidates is different from most sending countries.
Taking JFT-Basic in the Philippines
Filipino candidates have a real advantage in this process and one specific risk. Here is what to know about sitting JFT-Basic here.
Taking JFT-Basic in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is a growing participant in the SSW route and the main Central Asian JFT-Basic market. Here is what to check.
Taking JFT-Basic in Vietnam
Vietnam sends large numbers of workers to Japan, and the competition for seats and for placements is correspondingly strong.
Where you can take JFT-Basic: test centres by country
JFT-Basic is held in fourteen countries plus Japan. Here is where it runs, how to find your nearest Prometric centre, and what to do when none is close to you.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from Laos: the steps
Laos has a memorandum of cooperation with Japan on SSW. A smaller corridor, and what that means for your preparation.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from Pakistan: the steps
Pakistan has a memorandum of cooperation with Japan on SSW. The route, the Bureau of Emigration requirement, and what to verify.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from Mongolia: the steps
The Mongolian route, what the memorandum with Japan covers, and the practical preparation that matters most.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from Uzbekistan: the steps
Uzbekistan has a memorandum of cooperation with Japan and an active migration agency. The route, and what to prepare first.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from Thailand: the steps
The Thai route through the Department of Employment, and why the timeline is often shorter than candidates expect.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from Cambodia: the steps
The Cambodian route through MLVT-licensed agencies, and the questions to ask before you commit to one.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from India: the steps
India has a memorandum of cooperation with Japan on SSW. The route, the eMigrate requirement, and the realistic timeline.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from Sri Lanka: the steps
The Sri Lankan route, the SLBFE registration requirement, and the sequence that avoids wasted months.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from Bangladesh: the steps
The route from Bangladesh, the BMET requirements, and why the language test should start before anything else.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from Myanmar: the steps
The order of operations from Myanmar, the documents involved, and where the delays usually come from.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from the Philippines: the steps
The Philippine route is government-administered through DMW-accredited channels. What that means for your timeline.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from Vietnam: the steps
The Vietnamese route runs through licensed dispatch companies. The order of steps, and the fee questions to ask early.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from Indonesia: the steps
The Indonesian route, including the official placement system, and the order that saves the most time.
Going to Japan as an SSW worker from Nepal: the steps
The order of operations from Nepal, the Nepali government requirements in the middle, and where candidates most often lose time.
Taking JFT-Basic in Japan
The test is held in Japan as well as overseas. Who sits it there, how it differs, and what to check before booking.