Where to take a JLPT alternative: BJT in 47 Japanese cities and 20 more countries
Missed the JLPT, not ready for N2 in one shot, or simply want more chances? BJT is held on almost any day in test centres across Japan and abroad. Here is the full list.
Short answer
The JLPT, the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, runs only twice a year in Japan, and once a year in some countries. The main alternative for work and visas is BJT, the Business Japanese Proficiency Test. You can sit it at Pearson VUE test centres in 47 cities in Japan and 56 cities in 20 other countries and regions, on almost any day. For several visas, a BJT score of 400 counts like N2 and 480 like N1.
Six chances a year instead of two
JLPT gives you two dates a year in Japan: July and December. BJT can be retaken every three months, so you can sit it up to four times a year. Keep both options open and you have six chances a year to get the level you need, instead of two.
Is BJT much harder?
BJT is about Japanese at work: phone calls, meetings, emails, notices and charts, with a lot of keigo. That sounds harder than it is. The vocabulary stays inside business topics and repeats, and there is no pass or fail: every answer adds to one score from 0 to 800, so strong listening can make up for weaker kanji. Our founder took it with an N4 certificate and N3-level speaking, and scored 406 after three weeks. Read her story.
Where you can sit BJT
- Japan · 47 cities
- Abroad · 56 cities
BJT in Japan: 47 cities
- Hokkaido and Tohoku
- Sapporo, Aomori, Akita, Morioka, Sendai, Koriyama, Iwaki
- Kanto
- Tokyo, Yokohama, Chiba, Saitama, Kawagoe, Takasaki, Hitachinaka, Utsunomiya, Oyama
- Chubu
- Nagoya, Okazaki, Gifu, Hamamatsu, Niigata, Kanazawa, Toyama, Fukui, Kofu, Matsumoto
- Kansai
- Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, Yokkaichi
- Chugoku and Shikoku
- Hiroshima, Okayama, Tottori, Matsue, Takamatsu, Tokushima, Matsuyama, Niihama, Kochi
- Kyushu and Okinawa
- Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Kagoshima, Naha
In Tokyo there are several centres; a new one opened at Ikebukuro West Exit in May 2026. The test fee in Japan is ¥8,000 including tax.
BJT abroad: 20 countries and regions
| Country or region | Cities | # |
|---|---|---|
| China | Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shenyang, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, Xi'an, Changchun, Harbin, Kunming, Hong Kong | 18 |
| Taiwan | Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung | 3 |
| South Korea | Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon | 4 |
| Vietnam | Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang | 3 |
| Thailand | Bangkok, Chon Buri | 2 |
| Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur | 1 |
| Singapore | Singapore | 1 |
| Philippines | Manila | 1 |
| Indonesia | Jakarta, Bandung | 2 |
| Myanmar | Yangon | 1 |
| India | New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune | 4 |
| Nepal | Kathmandu (opened in 2026) | 1 |
| Australia | Sydney, Melbourne | 2 |
| United Kingdom | London | 1 |
| France | Paris | 1 |
| Germany | Frankfurt, Düsseldorf | 2 |
| Italy | Padova | 1 |
| United States | New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Denton (Texas) | 4 |
| Mexico | Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey | 3 |
| Brazil | São Paulo | 1 |
Fees abroad are set per country and shown when you book. Check that the visa or employer you need the score for accepts a certificate from a test taken outside Japan.
How to find a free seat
- Search any address on the Pearson VUE test centre finder to see the nearest centres.
- Create a Pearson VUE account and book online. You can book until 23:59 the day before the test.
- Bring two IDs with the same name, such as your passport and residence card. Your photo is taken at check-in for the certificate.
- Step-by-step guide: How to book BJT in Japan.
Questions people ask
Is there an alternative to the JLPT?
For work and visas in Japan, the main one is BJT. For Specified Skilled Worker visas the alternative is JFT-Basic, which checks basic A1–A2 Japanese, not N2.
Can I take BJT outside Japan?
Yes, in 56 cities in 20 countries and regions, from Beijing and Hanoi to London, São Paulo and New York.
Can I take both JLPT and BJT?
Yes. They are separate tests from separate organisers. You can sit BJT first and keep JLPT as a backup.
Is BJT held in the same places as JLPT?
No. JLPT is a paper test held on fixed days, often at universities. BJT is a computer test held at Pearson VUE centres on almost any day.
What score do I need instead of N2?
400. For N1-level requirements it is 480. See what your BJT score means.
Found a centre near you? Check your level first.
Try three business situations for free, or join the waitlist for full 80-question mock exams with explanations in your language.