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JLPT N1: pass mark, questions and how hard it is
N1 is the hardest of the five levels of the JLPT (日本語能力試験, Japanese-Language Proficiency Test). jlpt.jp sums it up in one line: N1 means understanding Japanese used in a variety of circumstances. There is no speaking or writing section.
On this page
What JLPT N1 means
N1 is the top level. N1 and N2 test Japanese used in a broad range of real scenes.
- N1 reading: complex and abstract writing such as newspaper editorials and critiques.
- N1 listening: conversations, news reports and lectures at natural speed in a broad variety of settings.
- CEFR (the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) levels are printed on score reports. A pass at 100 to 141 shows B2, and 142 or more shows C1. There is no C2.
- So a pass at the minimum shows B2, the same band N2 reaches at 112 or more.
- CEFR is shown only to people who pass; failing candidates see an asterisk. The CEFR level covers linguistic and reception skills; speaking and writing (production and interaction) are not included. The CEFR level plays no part in pass or fail.
- Whether a school or employer accepts the CEFR indication is for them to say; ask the institution.
Sources: jlpt.jp: summary of each level, jlpt.jp: CEFR level on score reports, jlpt.jp: FAQ
JLPT N1 passing score
N1 pass mark 100 of 180, with at least 19 of 60 in each of the three sections.
| Level | Scoring sections | Total to pass | Minimum in each section | CEFR on the score report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | Vocabulary and grammar (0 to 60); Reading (0 to 60); Listening (0 to 60) | 100 of 180 | 19 of 60; 19 of 60; 19 of 60 | B2 (C1 from 142) |
A total of 100 does not pass you if one section is under 19. If you miss a section you fail and the score report shows asterisks instead of any section scores. Scores are scaled, so you cannot work out your score by counting correct answers. These pass marks have applied since the July 2010 test (December 2010 for N4 and N5).
Sources: jlpt.jp: scoring and pass marks, jlpt.jp: FAQ, jlpt.jp: CEFR level on score reports
JLPT N1 time and sections
N1 is a morning test in Japan. Vocabulary, grammar and reading share one block, and listening comes after a break.
| Level | Session in Japan | Parts and minutes | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | Morning | Vocabulary, grammar and reading: 110 min; Listening: 55 min | 165 min |
December 2026 N1 timetable: Language Knowledge and Reading 9:10-11:20, Listening 11:50-13:00. N1 and N2 (morning): room opens 8:30, test starts 9:10, and you must be seated before 9:10. If you are not in your seat at the start time you lose the first section; later sections are not scored and you fail. Section hours include instruction time, not just answering. N1 listening was cut to 55 minutes starting with the December 2022 test.
Sources: JEES: December 2026 test-day guide (PDF), JEES: application notes, JEES: December 2026 test guide, jlpt.jp: test sections and times
What each N1 section tests
Questions are grouped by item type, and the types differ by level. N1, N2 and N3 have three scoring sections (Language Knowledge, Reading, Listening) of 0-60 each, total 0-180.
- N1 Vocabulary has four item types: kanji reading, contextually-defined expressions, paraphrases and usage; it has no orthography or word formation items.
- Grammar has three item types at every level from N1 to N5: sentential grammar 1 (selecting the grammar form), sentential grammar 2 (sentence composition) and text grammar.
- N1 Reading has six item types: comprehension of short, mid-size and long passages, integrated comprehension, thematic comprehension (long passages) and information retrieval.
- N1 Listening has five item types: task-based comprehension, comprehension of key points, comprehension of general outline, quick response and integrated comprehension.
Sources: jlpt.jp: scoring and pass marks, jlpt.jp: test sections and times
JLPT N1 questions: where to find real ones
Every question is multiple choice, on a computer-scored answer sheet. Most questions have four choices; some listening questions have three.
- Exact past papers are not published; the workbooks use questions chosen from past tests.
- jlpt.jp has free sample questions with one example per item type for each level.
- The Official Practice Workbook for N1 comes in two volumes, 2012 and 2018. Each workbook has roughly the number of questions in a real test, chosen from tests since the 2010 revision.
- jlpt.jp hosts the N1 workbook questions, answers, listening scripts and listening MP3s as free downloads.
- Printed copies: N1 workbook (2012): 101 pages, ISBN 978-4-89358-817-3; Vol. 2: 100 pages, ISBN 978-4-89358-936-1. Each workbook costs 700 yen plus tax; every volume comes with a CD; publisher Bonjinsha.
- The test-sections page gives no question count.
More: JLPT practice tests and past papers.
Sources: jlpt.jp: FAQ, jlpt.jp: sample questions, jlpt.jp: Official Practice Workbook downloads, jlpt.jp: official books, jlpt.jp: test sections and times
JLPT N1 reading
The N1 reading section covers complex and abstract writing such as newspaper editorials and critiques. Comprehension of long passages is an N1 item type that N2 does not have. Integrated comprehension and thematic comprehension are in both N1 and N2.
Reading is a scoring section of 0 to 60 with a minimum of 19, and you sit it in the same 110-minute block as vocabulary and grammar. For passages to practice on, see reading practice.
Sources: jlpt.jp: summary of each level, jlpt.jp: test sections and times, jlpt.jp: scoring and pass marks
How hard is N1? The pass rate
The latest figures published are for the December 2025 test in Japan. They show that N1 had the lowest share of passers of the five levels.
| Level | Applied | Sat the test | Passed | Passed, Dec 2025 (Japan) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | 62,518 | 52,291 | 12,572 | 24.0% |
Read this with care. It is one test. Overseas the same test certified 34.2% of N1 examinees, and Japan and overseas together 29.8%. "Examinees" includes people who took only some sections. The jlpt.jp page gives no reason for the gap between Japan and overseas, and a pass rate describes everyone who sat, not your own chance.
Sources: jlpt.jp: test data by test
N1 vs N2: what is different
The two levels share most item types. The rows below show where they differ.
| Feature | N1 | N2 |
|---|---|---|
| What jlpt.jp says | Understanding Japanese used in a variety of circumstances | Understanding everyday Japanese, plus a variety of circumstances to a certain degree |
| Reading | Complex and abstract writing, such as newspaper editorials and critiques | Clearly written articles and commentaries in newspapers and magazines |
| Listening | Conversations, news reports and lectures at natural speed, in a broad variety of settings | Conversations and news at nearly natural speed |
| Pass mark | 100 of 180 | 90 of 180 |
| Minimum in each section | 19 of 60 | 19 of 60 |
| Answer time | 165 minutes: 110 + 55 | 155 minutes: 105 + 50 |
| Reading item types | Includes long passages | No long passages |
| Vocabulary item types | No orthography or word formation | Includes orthography and word formation |
| CEFR on a pass | B2 for 100 to 141, C1 for 142 or more | B1 for 90 to 111, B2 for 112 or more |
| Passed, Japan, December 2025 | 24.0% | 25.4% |
| Highly Skilled Professional points | 15 | 10 |
Pass marks do not rise with the level: N3 needs 95, N2 needs 90 and N1 needs 100. Full N2 page: JLPT N2.
Sources: jlpt.jp: summary of each level, jlpt.jp: scoring and pass marks, jlpt.jp: test sections and times, jlpt.jp: CEFR level on score reports, jlpt.jp: test data by test, Immigration Services Agency (PDF)
How long does it take to reach N1?
No source gives one number. These are the estimates we found, and each measures something different.
| Source | What it measures | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| JLPT organizers, old four-level test | The old Level 1, which the JLPT FAQ links to N1 by pass line only. It also assumed about 2,000 kanji and 10,000 words. | Around 900 hours of study |
| US State Department (FSI) | Speaking and listening proficiency for English speakers, not a JLPT level | 88 weeks, 2200 class hours |
| Japan Foundation (Marugoto coursebooks) | Its top level is B1, and we found no hours beyond that | About 80 to 120 classroom hours for each of Intermediate 1 and 2 |
| Genki (Japan Times Publishing) | Publisher says Vol. 1 reaches N5 and Vol. 2 reaches N4, so it covers only the first two levels | About 200 hours for both volumes |
The old-test figure and the FSI figure differ, and they are for different targets. The FSI page says actual time varies with natural ability, prior experience and classroom time. No source gives a forecast for you. Counts of words and kanji are estimates too: JLPT publishes no official vocabulary, kanji or grammar list, so word and kanji counts you see online are estimates. Publisher 3A says its N1 word book has 2,200 words, while the old Level 1 criteria say about 10,000.
Sources: jlpt.jp: FAQ (1), jlpt.jp: old four-level test criteria (PDF), US State Department: Foreign Service Institute language training, Japan Foundation: Marugoto course details, Japan Times: GENKI I, Japan Times: GENKI II, jlpt.jp: FAQ (2), 3A Corporation: book page (publisher)
What to use to study for N1
Start with the free official material, then add a book per weak section.
- Free: the N1 Official Practice Workbook has listening audio for each question type. See practice tests, reading practice and the study guide.
- Shin Kanzen Master (3A Corporation) has N1 books by skill. The publisher says its N1 listening book is aimed at people who want to take N1, and its N1 word book has 2,200 words.
- The publisher says the N3 grammar book, unlike the N1 and N2 grammar books, comes with English and Chinese translation. Look at a sample page before you buy the N1 grammar book.
- Nihongo So-matome (ASK Publishing): Publisher positions it for JLPT practice, with N1 to N3 grammar, reading and listening books that have audio. The N1 to N3 revised editions were finished in spring 2025, and the old editions are discontinued.
Sources: jlpt.jp: Official Practice Workbook downloads, 3A: Shin Kanzen Master N1 Listening, 3A Corporation: book page (publisher), 3A: Shin Kanzen Master N3 Grammar, ASK Publishing: So-matome N2 Kanji, ASK Publishing: So-matome series
italki
- One-to-one lessons by video with a teacher you choose
- Up to 3 trial lessons, one per teacher
- Pay per lesson, no subscription needed
- Fits you if you want a teacher to explain the reading or grammar a book cannot, and you are fine paying per lesson.
- Not for you if you only need practice questions: the official workbook is free. The JLPT has no speaking section, so lessons help you learn Japanese, not prepare for a speaking test.
Find a Japanese teacher for JLPT N1 on italki
Opens italki's site (Japanese; English version too)
Sources: jlpt.jp: FAQ
What JLPT N1 is used for
The routes that name N1, with the source linked under the list.
- HSP points: N1 earns 15 points, and 70 points is the pass mark for the status. The BJT test at 480 or more counts as equivalent.
- The Designated Activities (Notification 46) status for graduates of Japanese universities, which allows wider work such as customer-facing jobs in restaurants, requires JLPT N1 or BJT 480+ (or a Japanese major abroad).
- jlpt.jp says: Overseas-licensed medical practitioners need N1 for Japan's national exams (also dentists, nurses, pharmacists and others).
- For care-worker candidates under the EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement) program, one who has passed N1 or N2 can be counted as staff in the facility staffing standard.
- University entry and the Business Manager visa name N2, so N1 is not needed for them.
All the routes, with sources: JLPT for visas and work.
Sources: Immigration Services Agency (PDF) (1), Immigration Services Agency (PDF) (2), Immigration Services Agency, Immigration Services Agency (PDF) (3), jlpt.jp: what the JLPT is used for, JICWELS: 2027 EPA intake (PDF)
JLPT N1 test dates and how to apply
In Japan the test is held in July and December.
- The 2026 tests in Japan are on Sunday 5 July 2026 and Sunday 6 December 2026.
- December 2026 N1 and N2 applications closed at 12:00 on 31 August, 7 days before the 7 September deadline, and will not reopen. JEES says early closing is because test sites are hard to secure, and it applies to every 2026 test.
- As of 5 October 2026 no 2027 test date, application window, fee or eligibility rule for Japan is published on info.jees-jlpt.jp or jlpt.jp. The home page lists only the two 2026 tests.
- Test fee in Japan: ¥7,500, tax included (2026 tests). December 2026 test (Japan): results in MyJLPT from late January 2027, mailed late February 2027.
- 2026 tests in Japan are for non-native speakers who are mid- to long-term residents or special permanent residents. People without a residence card, such as tourists, cannot take the 2026 test in Japan.
- You can apply for only one level per test; duplicate applications may disqualify you.
Step by step: how to register and apply. All dates and fees: JLPT hub.
Sources: jlpt.jp: test sections and times, JEES: notice (1), JEES: notice (2), JEES: home page, JEES: December 2026 test guide, JEES: applying in MyJLPT, JEES FAQ: applying
The level below
N2 is the next level down. Read JLPT N2 for its pass mark and what it gets you, or the JLPT guide for all five levels.
JLPT questions
What is the JLPT N1 passing score?
N1 pass mark 100 of 180, with at least 19 of 60 in each of the three sections. N1: total 100 to 141 is B2, 142 or more is C1.
How hard is JLPT N1?
In Japan in December 2025, 24.0% of the people who sat N1 passed, the lowest share of the five levels. Overseas, 34.2% of N1 examinees passed. See the pass rate table above.
How many questions are on JLPT N1?
jlpt.jp gives no question count on its test-sections page. Each workbook has roughly the number of questions in a real test, chosen from tests since the 2010 revision.
Is JLPT N1 the same as CEFR C1?
Not always. N1: total 100 to 141 is B2, 142 or more is C1. There is no C2 indication; the JLPT linking reached C1 at most.
What is the difference between N1 and N2?
N1 needs 100 of 180 and N2 needs 90. N1 reading has long passages and N2 reading does not. See the N1 vs N2 table above.
What are the JLPT N1 requirements?
You choose one level when you apply. 2026 tests in Japan are for non-native speakers who are mid- to long-term residents or special permanent residents. People without a residence card, such as tourists, cannot take the 2026 test in Japan.
How long does it take to study for N1?
The old four-level criteria say around 900 hours for Level 1. No source gives your own number. See the hours table above.
What does JLPT N1 qualify me for?
N1 earns 15 HSP points. The Designated Activities (Notification 46) status for graduates of Japanese universities, which allows wider work such as customer-facing jobs in restaurants, requires JLPT N1 or BJT 480+ (or a Japanese major abroad). See the list of uses above.
Does a JLPT N1 certificate expire?
The JLPT certificate never expires, though employers and schools can set their own time limits.
How we checked
Every fact on this page links to the page it was read from, and our data keeps the quote. We read jlpt.jp (the official JLPT site), JEES (the organization that runs the test in Japan), the Immigration Services Agency and publisher pages on October 5, 2026. We do not run the test and are not affiliated with it.
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