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JLPT N2: pass mark, reading and what it gets you
N2 is the second-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: N2 means everyday Japanese plus a variety of circumstances to a certain degree. There is no speaking or writing section.
On this page
What JLPT N2 means
N2 is the level just below the top. N1 and N2 test Japanese used in a broad range of real scenes.
- N2 reading: clearly written articles and commentaries in newspapers and magazines.
- N2 listening: conversations and news at nearly natural speed.
- CEFR (the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) levels are printed on score reports. N2 is the level where a pass splits: 90 to 111 shows B1 and 112 or more shows B2.
- For B1 the official advice is N3 (104 or more) or N2 (up to 111).
- Whether a school or employer accepts the CEFR indication is for them to say; ask the institution. CEFR is shown only to people who pass; failing candidates see an asterisk. The CEFR level plays no part in pass or fail.
Sources: jlpt.jp: summary of each level, jlpt.jp: CEFR level on score reports, jlpt.jp: FAQ
JLPT N2 passing score
N2 pass mark 90 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N2 | Vocabulary and grammar (0 to 60); Reading (0 to 60); Listening (0 to 60) | 90 of 180 | 19 of 60; 19 of 60; 19 of 60 | B1 (B2 from 112) |
A total of 90 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 N2 time and sections
N2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| N2 | Morning | Vocabulary, grammar and reading: 105 min; Listening: 50 min | 155 min |
December 2026 N2 timetable: Language Knowledge and Reading 9:10-11:15, Listening 11:45-12:50. 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.
Sources: JEES: December 2026 test-day guide (PDF), JEES: application notes, JEES: December 2026 test guide, jlpt.jp: test sections and times
What each N2 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.
- N2 Vocabulary has six item types: kanji reading, orthography, word formation, contextually-defined expressions, paraphrases and usage.
- 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.
- N2 Reading has five item types: comprehension of short and mid-size passages, integrated comprehension, thematic comprehension (long passages) and information retrieval; comprehension of long passages is not listed for N2.
- N2 Listening has the same five item types as N1: 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 N2 reading
The N2 reading section covers clearly written articles and commentaries in newspapers and magazines. It has five item types, including integrated comprehension and thematic comprehension (long passages). Comprehension of long passages is not listed for N2, and it is listed for N1 and N3.
Reading is a scoring section of 0 to 60 with a minimum of 19, and you sit it in the same 105-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
JLPT N2 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 N2 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 N2 workbook questions, answers, listening scripts and listening MP3s as free downloads.
- Printed copies: N2 workbook (2012): 99 pages, ISBN 978-4-89358-818-0; Vol. 2: 100 pages, ISBN 978-4-89358-937-8. 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
How hard is N2? The pass rate
The latest figures published are for the December 2025 test in Japan. N2 had the second-lowest share of passers of the five levels, after N1.
| Level | Applied | Sat the test | Passed | Passed, Dec 2025 (Japan) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N2 | 132,741 | 118,354 | 30,109 | 25.4% |
Read this with care. It is one test. Overseas the same test certified 40.9% of N2 examinees, and Japan and overseas together 33.0%. "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
N2 vs N3 and N1
How N2 compares with the level below it and the level above it.
| Feature | N3 | N2 | N1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| What jlpt.jp says | Everyday Japanese to a certain degree | Everyday Japanese, plus a variety of circumstances to a certain degree | Japanese used in a variety of circumstances |
| Reading | Everyday written material with specific content | Clearly written articles and commentaries in newspapers and magazines | Complex and abstract writing, such as newspaper editorials and critiques |
| Listening | Everyday conversations at near-natural speed | Conversations and news at nearly natural speed | Conversations, news reports and lectures at natural speed |
| Pass mark | 95 of 180 | 90 of 180 | 100 of 180 |
| Answer time | 140 minutes in three blocks: 30 + 70 + 40 | 155 minutes in two blocks: 105 + 50 | 165 minutes in two blocks: 110 + 55 |
| CEFR on a pass | A2 for 95 to 103, B1 for 104 or more | B1 for 90 to 111, B2 for 112 or more | B2 for 100 to 141, C1 for 142 or more |
| Passed, Japan, December 2025 | 26.2% | 25.4% | 24.0% |
Pass marks do not rise with the level: N3 needs 95, N2 needs 90 and N1 needs 100. Item types differ too: N2 has orthography and word formation in vocabulary and no long-passage reading, which N1 has. Full pages: JLPT N1, JLPT N3.
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
What does JLPT N2 get you?
These are the routes that name N2, from the Immigration Services Agency (ISA), the JLPT organizers and the care-worker program body.
| What you want | What N2 does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| University in Japan (Student status) | N2 or higher counts as a guide through the end of FY2029 entrants. B2 or above is expected from FY2027 entrants. | The EJU, a test JASSO runs for international applicants to Japanese universities, also counts at 200 or more in Japanese. JASSO says N1 or N2 holders usually still need the EJU if the school requires it. |
| Highly Skilled Professional points | N2 earns 10 points. Not if you already received the Japanese-degree bonus or the N1 bonus. | 70 points is the pass mark for the status. The BJT test at 400 or more counts as equivalent. |
| Business Manager | N2 or higher is one accepted proof. The applicant or one full-time employee needs it. | Other proofs include 20 or more years of residence or a Japanese higher-education degree. |
| A work visa in general | ISA asks for a Japanese certificate only when the main job uses Japanese. | Examples ISA gives: translation, interpreting or hotel front desk. |
| Permanent residence | The revised guideline makes B1 or higher Japanese a consideration factor, not a pass or fail line, and names no JLPT level in the text we read. | It applies to applications from 1 April 2027. N2 shows B1 at 90 to 111 and B2 at 112 or more. HSP holders are not assessed on B1. |
| Vocational and miscellaneous schools | ISA says applications may be refused at screening if the Japanese is not clearly N2-level. | A student qualifies by 1 or more years of Japanese language education, a test, or 1 or more years at a Japanese school. |
| Care workers under the EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement) program | A candidate who has passed N1 or N2 can be counted as staff in the facility staffing standard. | JICWELS, the body the health ministry designated for the program, names N3 or higher as the entry level for Vietnam. |
More routes and who accepts what: JLPT for visas and work. N4 is enough for Specified Skilled Worker (i).
Sources: Immigration Services Agency (1), JASSO: EJU, JASSO: EJU and the JLPT, Immigration Services Agency (PDF) (1), Immigration Services Agency (2), Immigration Services Agency (PDF) (2), Immigration Services Agency (3), Immigration Services Agency (PDF) (3), Immigration Services Agency (4), jlpt.jp: CEFR level on score reports, JICWELS: 2027 EPA intake (PDF), jlpt.jp: what the JLPT is used for
How long does it take to reach N2?
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 2, which the JLPT FAQ links to N2 by pass line only. It also assumed about 1,000 kanji and 6,000 words and an intermediate course. | Around 600 hours of study |
| Genki (Japan Times Publishing) | Publisher says Vol. 1 reaches N5 and Vol. 2 reaches N4, which is below N2 | About 200 hours for both volumes |
| Japan Foundation (Marugoto coursebooks) | Its Pre-Intermediate course is A2/B1 and its Intermediate courses are B1 | 60 to 80 hours for Pre-Intermediate and about 80 to 120 for each of Intermediate 1 and 2 |
| An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese | A coursebook for learners who finished beginner study, with no JLPT level stated | 240 classroom hours |
These are classroom-hour estimates for different targets, so they do not add up to a plan, and the Japan Foundation gives no mapping to JLPT levels in the pages we read. 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 N2 word book has 2,200 words, while the old Level 2 criteria say about 6,000.
Sources: jlpt.jp: FAQ (1), jlpt.jp: old four-level test criteria (PDF), Japan Times: GENKI I, Japan Times: GENKI II, Japan Foundation: Marugoto course details, Japan Times: An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese, Japan Times Publishing: book page (publisher), jlpt.jp: FAQ (2), 3A Corporation: book page (publisher)
What to use to study for N2
Start with the free official material, then add a book per weak section.
- Free: the N2 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 N2 books by skill. The publisher says its N2 reading book is for people aiming at N2 and also works for general intermediate and advanced reading, and its N2 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 N2 grammar book.
- Mimi kara Oboeru (ALC Press): N2 grammar book (2010 edition) lists 110 items.
- 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.
- Intermediate coursebooks such as An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese, TOBIRA and Minna no Nihongo Chukyu state no JLPT level on their publisher pages.
Sources: jlpt.jp: Official Practice Workbook downloads, 3A: Shin Kanzen Master N2 Reading, 3A Corporation: book page (publisher), 3A: Shin Kanzen Master N3 Grammar, ALC Press: book page (publisher), ASK Publishing: So-matome N2 Kanji, ASK Publishing: So-matome series, Japan Times: An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese, Kuroshio: TOBIRA, 3A: Minna no Nihongo Chukyu I
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 N2 on italki
Opens italki's site (Japanese; English version too)
Sources: jlpt.jp: FAQ
JLPT N2 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.
- In July 2026, 158,682 people applied for N2 in Japan, up 64.3% on a year earlier.
- 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.
- The JLPT certificate never expires, though employers and schools can set their own time limits.
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), jlpt.jp: announcement (PDF), JEES: home page, JEES: December 2026 test guide, JEES: applying in MyJLPT, JEES FAQ: applying, jlpt.jp: FAQ
The levels next to N2
The level below is JLPT N3, the level above is JLPT N1, and the JLPT guide covers all five.
JLPT questions
What is the JLPT N2 passing score?
N2 pass mark 90 of 180, with at least 19 of 60 in each of the three sections. N2: total 90 to 111 is B1, 112 or more is B2.
How hard is JLPT N2?
In Japan in December 2025, 25.4% of the people who sat N2 passed. Overseas, 40.9% of N2 examinees passed. See the pass rate table above.
How many questions are on JLPT N2?
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 N2 the same as CEFR B2?
Not always. N2: total 90 to 111 is B1, 112 or more is B2. For B1 the official advice is N3 (104 or more) or N2 (up to 111).
Is JLPT N2 enough for a university in Japan?
The Immigration Services Agency names N2 or higher as a guide through FY2029 entrants, and expects B2 or above from FY2027. JASSO says N1 or N2 holders usually still need the EJU if the school requires it.
How many HSP points does JLPT N2 give?
N2 earns 10 points, unless you already received the Japanese-degree bonus or the N1 bonus. 70 points is the pass mark for the status.
How long does it take to study for N2?
The old four-level criteria say around 600 hours for Level 2 and an intermediate course. No source gives your own number. See the hours table above.
What is the difference between N2 and N1?
N2 needs 90 of 180 and N1 needs 100. N1 reading has long passages and N2 reading does not. See JLPT N1.
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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