JETRO Business Japanese Test

[nhk9]

Hi guys,

seeing that the deadline for signing up this test is next week, I am just wondering if any of you guys took this test before, and if so, if you are willing to share some of your experiences with all of us.

It seems like a logical test to take after the JLPT in order to show your competency at Japanese. Of course then there are those that just think that if you can speak it, you don't have to show any certification. The one thing that bothers me is that, while the test is fairly well-known, the application number is low when compared to the JLPT (less than 1/10th the number of applicants for JLPT worldwide). That begs the question of whether or not Japanese employers even know about this test. I took the level 1 JLPT in Canada last year and passed that, but yet I cant take the J-Test, which is another popular test, but only administered in Japan. The only one remaining is JETRO Business Test.

The cost of the test is somewhere around 7000yen, so its not cheap. I'd just like to see if it's a good investment.

Thanks in advance,
nhk_9

 

[JimmySeal]

What makes the JETRO exam unattractive to me is that while JLPT tests mostly things that would crop up in daily life and reading (aside from some obscure grammar points), the JETRO has a large focus on business Japanese, that is, vocabulary that I wouldn't really understand in English, let alone Japanese. I have little interest in being a businessman, and I'm not interested in learning a bunch of business and economics terms that I'll never use just to show that I'm above JLPT 1Q.

I think you were involved in the J. Test discussion a while back, and know that J. Test tests ability beyond 1Q. Supposedly, if you can assemble a group of 10 test takers (I know, not a simple task), you can take the test almost anywhere:
(from http://j-test.jp/jtest/faq.htm)

Q: 海外で団体受験をしたいのですが。
A: 海外の場合、原則的に１０名以上から可能ですが、国、 地域よって
実施条件が異なります。詳しくは事務局までお問い合わ せ下さい。
※これまでに、ベトナム、インドネシア、タイ、フィリ ピンで団体受験
を実施しています。

Side note: the cutie in my avatar is from Vancouver, too

 

[nhk9]

Cool jimmy, thanks for the repsonse. Guess not too many people have taken this test before? Given the low number of responses.

What I worry is that if no firms even know about this test, then it's just a waste of 7000yen. Being a student, money is a problem.

 

[nhk9]

OK I've decided not to take the test. The deadline has passed. Hopefully I did make the better decision.