How to prepare for BJT in four weeks: a study plan aimed at 400
A four-week BJT plan for people who already use Japanese at work. Learn the nine question types, practise against the clock, then sit full mock tests.
Short answer
A four-week plan for the BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test suits you if you already use Japanese at work: one week to learn the nine question types with Kanken's sample questions, two weeks of timed listening and reading, and one week of full 80-question mock tests. The plan is ours, not the organiser's: we found no recommended study time on Kanken's pages. A mock test shows how far you are from 400 before you book.
Is four weeks enough?
Four weeks is enough to learn the BJT format and to practise against the clock, if your Japanese is already near the score you need. It is not enough to build a level from the start. The BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test is run by the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation (Kanken), and Kanken describes it as a test that assumes a basic knowledge of Japanese and "objectively measures the ability to process and respond appropriately to provided information".
Our founder needed 400 or more for her visa. Her last JLPT was N4, she was already reading business emails in Japanese, and she scored 406 on her first attempt. In her own article she writes: "From the day I decided to try BJT to the day I had my score: three weeks." Her result is her own, and yours will depend on your level.
Several visa rules that accept BJT use 400, the score treated like N2 of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) for them, so the plan aims there. Which rules accept which score is in which Japanese tests count for a Japan visa.
What you are preparing for
- 80 questions, four options each
- About 2 h including instructions and a questionnaire
- 9 question types in three parts
- 0–800 score, no pass or fail
The three parts are listening (about 45 minutes), listening and reading (about 30 minutes) and reading (30 minutes). Every question type is explained in BJT test format.
The plan at a glance
Four weeks before you book
Week by week
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Week 1: learn the nine question types
Work through Kanken's sample questions, one page for each part, and try the computer test demo. The demo has three questions and does not work on smartphones or tablets, so use a computer. Note that in Part 1 Kanken's instructions say the four options are read aloud.
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Week 2: timed listening
Parts 1 and 2 take about 75 minutes together, all with audio. Practise in long blocks, not five minutes at a time. Study keigo as one system, who is raised and who is lowered, inside and outside the company; our founder writes that for her BJT "came down to two things: keigo and business vocabulary".
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Week 3: timed reading
Part 3 is 30 questions in 30 minutes. Its first two sections are single sentences with a gap, for vocabulary and grammar and for business expressions; the third has longer texts. For the longer texts, read the question first and decide what information you need before you start reading.
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Week 4: full mock tests
Sit a full 80-question mock test in one sitting, then go through every mistake and sit a second one. The official practice test in Kanken's guide follows the computer test flow and question formats. If your result is close to your target, book a date.
What to use
Official · from Kanken
Samples, demo and the official guide
The sample questions and the computer test demo are free on Kanken's website. The BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test Official Practice Test & Guide costs ¥1,870 (160 pages, one audio CD, also as an e-book with downloadable audio). A reading-only practice print for Part 3 costs ¥700 and is sold as a digital file only.
Full mocks · waitlist
Dojo Journal mock exams
Full 80-question mock exams with a score forecast on the 0–800 scale and explanations in your language. They are not on sale yet; join the waitlist to hear when they are.
Not needed
A complete kanji list
In her article on what is hard in BJT, our founder writes that the business topics repeat, and advises learning the words that keep coming back rather than chasing every kanji.
Learn the format in week one, so that on test day only the questions are new.
When to book
Book when a full mock test puts you near your target. If you sit BJT and miss it, you can sit again 3 months after your test. Kanken designs the test so that your score stays about the same on every attempt unless your ability changes, so use those months to study the part where you lose the most points. The booking steps are in How to book BJT in Japan.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to prepare for BJT?
Kanken does not give a study time on the pages we checked. Our plan is four weeks for people who already use Japanese at work and are close to the score they need; our founder went from deciding to try BJT to her score of 406 in three weeks.
How do I study for BJT?
Learn the nine question types first, then practise listening and reading against the clock, then sit full 80-question mock tests. Keigo and business vocabulary come up in every part, so study them all the way through.
Are there official BJT practice materials?
Yes. Kanken sells the BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test Official Practice Test & Guide (¥1,870, 160 pages with an audio CD) and a reading-only practice print for Part 3 (¥700, digital only). Its website has free sample questions and a computer test demo with three questions.
Can I take BJT again if my score is too low?
Yes, 3 months after your test. Kanken designs the test so that your score stays about the same on every attempt unless your ability changes, so plan study between attempts, not just a second try.
Sit a full mock before you book.
Join the waitlist for full 80-question mock exams with a score forecast and explanations in your language, or try three business situations for free now.