News Answer leak renders JLPT tests ungradable

[thomas]

Several examinees who sat for a Japanese language test for non-native speakers last December submitted answer sheets deemed ungradable, a Foreign Ministry source revealed on Friday, following the discovery of leaked answers online.

The Japan Foundation, overseeing the Japanese Language Proficiency Test internationally, informed the ministry of an "extremely unnatural" clustering of identical answers. However, it stopped short of classifying the incident as cheating or disclosing how many tests remained ungraded.

The five-tier exam, held up to twice yearly in Japan and abroad, saw a record 1.26 million participants in 2023. Employers and academic institutions in Japan widely recognise certification in the higher levels of the multiple-choice test as a key requirement for admitting foreign candidates.

The latest case, involving test takers in Japan and several other countries, could bring under scrutiny the administration of the exams, which are of increasing importance as Japan seeks to accept more foreign labor to support its graying society. [...] It appears the same responses could be due to a leak on social media after the tests were held earlier in China than in other countries, including Japan. The foundation learned of the answers being leaked online and reported it to the ministry. While acknowledging activity on social media may have influenced the answers, the foundation said in a statement that a "direct causal relationship is unknown." Citing operational reasons, it said it will not offer retakes of the December test. The issue in question affected the test's second-highest N2 level, taken by more than 230,000 people in Japan and overseas on Dec. 1, 2024. The N2 and higher N1 levels are required for higher education study in Japanese. Japan Educational Exchanges and Services, the association that runs the test in Japan, sent notices to affected students' language schools, informing them their papers could not be graded and their test fees would be reimbursed.

At one school in western Japan, two of its 140 students who took the test were informed their submissions were ungradable.

Some Japanese tests for foreigners deemed ungradable amid answer leak - The Mainichi

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Multiple examinees who took a Japanese language test for non-native speakers in December submitted papers deemed ungradable, a source

mainichi.jp

 

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Don't cheat.