KUALA LUMPUR - Tourists visiting Japan will no longer be allowed to sit for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) from 2026, exam administrators have announced.

They said applicants in Japan will generally be required to hold mid- to long-term residence status or special permanent residency under the country’s residence management system.

Applicants will also be required to provide their residence card number and expiration date when registering for the test.

The JLPT is the world’s largest Japanese-language examination for non-native speakers.

It is jointly administered by Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES) and the Japan Foundation.

The test has been used since 1984 to certify listening and reading proficiency among non-native speakers.

A total of 1.47 million candidates took the exam in 2024, the highest number since its introduction.

The JLPT is conducted in all 47 prefectures in Japan and in dozens of overseas locations, usually in July and December.

Some countries hold the test only once a year, while others, including Wales, Portugal and Fiji, have temporarily suspended it.

Until 2025, anyone whose native language is not Japanese, including tourists and short-term visitors, was allowed to take the exam in Japan.

From 2026, applicants without residence cards will generally be barred, even if they are in the country at the time of the test.

JEES told The Japan Times that the move was prompted by administrative difficulties involving overseas applicants.

It said some candidates had used Japanese addresses without permission or provided invalid phone numbers.

These issues made it difficult, and in some cases impossible, to deliver test vouchers, score reports or contact examinees directly.

“For the proper administration of the exam, this additional eligibility condition has been introduced,” the organisation said.

Under the current system, applicants register through the MyJLPT portal, pay a testing fee and receive a mailed test voucher with their assigned venue.

Scores are later released online, with paper reports sent to all examinees and certificates mailed to successful candidates.

While the new policy excludes most short-term visitors, several groups without residence cards will remain eligible to take the exam in Japan.

These include newly naturalised citizens whose native language is not Japanese, individuals granted provisional stay, those covered by US-Japan and United Nations forces agreements, and holders of “Diplomat” or “Official” residence statuses.