Guidelines for the 2007 Japanese-Language Proficiency Test
1. Objective The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test will be held both in Japan and abroad to evaluate and certify the proficiency in Japanese of non-native speakers.
2. Administrative Organizations Japan Educational Exchanges and Services（hereinafter referred to as "JEES"）administers the Test in Japan. Overseas, the Japan Foundation（Interchange Association in Taiwan）will work with local host institutions to administer it.
3. Outline of the test （1）Eligibility : In principle, applicants should be non-native speakers of Japanese. （2）Test Date : December 2（Sun.）, 2007 （3）Test Sites : In Japan : Hokkaido, Miyagi, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Toyama, Nagano, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie, Gifu, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kagawa, Fukuoka, Oita, and Okinawa Overseas : 138 cities in 50 nations and areas （4） Contents of test and Criteria of certification: There are four levels ; the contents of the test and criteria for each level are attached.
4. Application Procedures （1）In Japan a. Application Form : A prescribed form b. Test Fee : ¥5,500（Consumption tax included） c. Application Period : From July 2（Mon.）to September 11（Tue.）, 2007（should be postmarked on or before September 11） d. Application Procedures : Applicants must obtain application forms and submit them to JLPT Application Center. （2）Overseas a. Application Form : A prescribed form b. Test Fee : The test fee is determined by the Japan Foundation, in consultation with the local host institution. c. Application Period : The application period is determined by the Japan Foundation in consultation with the local host institution. d. Application Procedures : Procedures are determined by each local host institution, to which examinees must submit prescribed application form and test fee. （3）For further information about the method of application, etc., please refer to the "Guide to the 2007 Japanese-Language Proficiency Test" which will be available by July 2007.
5. Annoucement of Results （1）All examinees will receive their score reports of the test and successful examinees will also receive Certificates of Proficiency. （2）Certificates of Proficiency and official test results will be sent in mid-February, 2008. However, to examinees who take the test abroad, Certificates of Proficiency and official test results will be sent through each local host institution by the end of February, 2008. （3）Japan Educational Exchanges and Services（JEES）will send the examinee's score to the universities and junior colleges upon their request for examinees who took the Test at cities abroad where the Japan Student Services Organization（JASSO）does not administer "Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students." （4）In the case of examinees who are taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test overseas and who are also applying to enter a Japanese Language Institute which is a member of the Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education, the Japan Foundation will provide the examinee's score, on request, via the Association to the said Institution.
Revision of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test: Second Progress Report Committee for Revision of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test The Japan Foundation Japan Educational Exchanges and Services
1. Reasons for revision When the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) was first administered in 1984, there were approximately 7,000 examinees who took the test. Since then, the annual test has become a large scale event, attracted some 524,000 examinees in 2007. During this time, there have been many requests for revision and a variety of issues were pointed out in the interim reports published in 1996 and 2000.1 In 2001 a committee of research associates under the auspices of the Agency for Cultural Affairs presented a proposal for revisions, and the work of revising the test began in 2004.
