JLPT pass rate by year, 2023 to 2025
Last checked: 2026-11-06
The overall JLPT pass rate fell from 41.7% in July 2023 to 33.9% in December 2025. Over the same six tests, examinees rose from 602,140 to 876,484. N1 had the lowest rate and N5 the highest in all six.
Pass rates by level, all test sites
| Test | N1 | N2 | N3 | N4 | N5 | All levels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2023 | 34.0% | 42.1% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 50.6% | 41.7% |
| December 2023 | 30.9% | 38.7% | 35.1% | 31.6% | 46.7% | 35.5% |
| July 2024 | 33.3% | 38.3% | 40.5% | 40.9% | 50.0% | 39.6% |
| December 2024 | 28.7% | 33.1% | 35.2% | 35.6% | 49.5% | 35.0% |
| July 2025 | 28.0% | 33.9% | 38.0% | 36.8% | 50.8% | 36.3% |
| December 2025 | 29.8% | 33.0% | 31.2% | 34.6% | 50.2% | 33.9% |
From the official data page for each test. December 2025 was the latest test listed on the date above. Examinee counts include people who took only some sections.
What the six tests show
These points are our own reading of the table.
- The December rate was below July in every year. The gaps were 6.2 points in 2023, 4.6 in 2024 and 2.4 in 2025.
- N3 fell the most from first to last: 43.7% to 31.2%, or 12.5 points. N2 fell 9.1 points.
- N1 fell the least of N1 to N4: 34.0% to 29.8%, or 4.2 points.
- N5 held steady. It stayed from 46.7% to 50.8%.
A falling rate does not prove the test got harder. The JLPT uses scaled scores to keep results comparable, and the group taking the test has changed. The official data does not explain the fall.
More people are taking the test
| Test | Applicants | Examinees | Certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2023 | 698,062 | 602,140 | 251,030 |
| December 2023 | 782,961 | 663,295 | 235,754 |
| July 2024 | 793,701 | 680,453 | 269,432 |
| December 2024 | 925,242 | 790,536 | 276,406 |
| July 2025 | 904,472 | 769,229 | 279,407 |
| December 2025 | 1,036,380 | 876,484 | 297,582 |
Adding each year's two tests gives 1,481,023 applicants in 2023, 1,718,943 in 2024 and 1,940,852 in 2025. Those sums are ours. The JLPT says 2025 had about 1.9 million applicants worldwide, the most ever recorded.
Examinees rose 46% from July 2023 to December 2025, by our count. The number certified rose too, by about 19%, from 251,030 to 297,582.
Japan and overseas
| Test | Japan rate | Overseas rate | Japan examinees | Overseas examinees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2023 | 39.4% | 42.8% | 197,144 | 404,996 |
| December 2023 | 32.3% | 37.4% | 236,547 | 426,748 |
| July 2024 | 37.7% | 40.8% | 265,848 | 414,605 |
| December 2024 | 30.8% | 38.0% | 333,983 | 456,553 |
| July 2025 | 33.5% | 38.4% | 324,766 | 444,463 |
| December 2025 | 27.6% | 39.3% | 402,228 | 474,256 |
The overseas rate was higher in all six tests. Japan examinees about doubled, from 197,144 to 402,228, and the Japan rate fell by 11.8 points. Overseas examinees rose by about 17%, and that rate fell by 3.5 points. This is what the data shows, not a cause.
How to use these numbers
A pass rate shows how a group did, not how you will do. For one test in more detail, see the December 2025 pass rates. Your own target is a set of marks, so check the pass marks and try the score calculator.