Most people asking this question are really asking one of two much more specific things: which test gets me the visa, or which test gets me the job. They have different answers.
The one-line version
- Going to Japan as a Specified Skilled Worker? Take JFT-Basic. It is usually months faster.
- Need a certificate for an employer, a university, or a language school? Take JLPT, almost always N4 or above.
- Doing both eventually? Take JFT-Basic first for the visa, JLPT later for the career. This is what most of our students do.
Side by side
| JFT-Basic | JLPT | |
|---|---|---|
| Level | A2 (CEFR) | N5 to N1 |
| How often | Almost every month | Twice a year (July, December) |
| Format | Computer-based (CBT) | Paper-based |
| Length | 60 minutes | 1.5–3 hours by level |
| Pass mark | 200 / 250 | 80–100 / 180 by level |
| Section minimums | No | Yes |
| Results | On screen immediately | About two months later |
| Mainly used for | SSW visa | Employment, study, immigration points |
Why JFT-Basic is usually the faster route
The scheduling difference is the whole argument. JFT-Basic runs year-round at Prometric test centres, so your next attempt is never more than a few weeks away. JLPT runs on the first Sunday of July and the first Sunday of December, and outside Japan many smaller test sites only run the December sitting.
Miss a JLPT sitting, or fall two points short in one section, and you wait six months — sometimes twelve. For someone with an employer waiting, that is not a small difference.
JFT-Basic is also a lower bar. A2 sits roughly between N5 and N4, so you are asking less of yourself and getting a result the immigration system accepts.
Why JLPT is still worth taking
JFT-Basic satisfies the language requirement for the visa. It does not do much for you after that.
JLPT is the certificate people in Japan actually recognise. N4 is the level most employers treat as a starting point; N3 is where noticeably better jobs, better pay, and the route to changing your status later begin to open up. It is recognised worldwide and it does not expire.
So the sequence that works for most people is not “choose one”. It is: pass JFT-Basic, get to Japan, start working, then study for N4 or N3 while you are there — surrounded by the language, which makes it considerably easier than studying for it from home.
The trap in the JLPT that catches people
If you do take the JLPT, understand this rule before you plan your study: you must hit both the overall pass mark and a minimum score in every section.
Clear the total but drop below the minimum in Listening — the most common way it happens — and you fail the entire level. Your strong Reading score does not rescue you.
This is why JLPT preparation should be lopsided in favour of your weakest section, even when that feels like the least productive way to spend an evening. On JFT-Basic the opposite is true, because only the total counts. Studying for the two exams the same way is a mistake.
Still not sure?
The answer usually depends on your sector, your employer, and your timeline, and it takes about ten minutes to work out properly. Ask us — it is free, and we will tell you if the answer is that you do not need us.