100+ Free Japan National Civil II Practice Questions
Pass your National Public Service Recruitment General Service Examination, University Graduate Level (国家公務員採用一般職試験(大卒程度試験), Ippan-shoku) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.
Microeconomics: At the equilibrium price in a competitive market, what is true of quantity supplied and quantity demanded?
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Key Facts: Japan National Civil II Exam
30 + 40
Basic Ability + answered Specialized MCQs (Administration)
NPA 2026 Examination Guide
16 subjects
Specialized menu; choose 8
NPA 2026 Examination Guide
3 hours
Specialized Test (multiple-choice) time
NPA 2026 Examination Guide
No fee
Examination Cost
National Personnel Authority
~2.0x
Administration-division competition ratio (2025)
NPA Examination Results 2025
5 years
Validity of recruitment-candidate list
National Personnel Authority
Japan's National General Service Examination (Ippan-shoku, university graduate level) is the National Personnel Authority's recruitment test for non-career civil servants. For the Administration division the first stage is a 30-item Basic Ability Test (1 hour 50 minutes) plus a Specialized Test where candidates answer 40 of 80 questions across 8 chosen subjects in 3 hours. There is no fee, and the 2025 competition ratio was about 2.0x.
Sample Japan National Civil II Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your Japan National Civil II exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1On the National General Service Examination (university graduate level), the Basic Ability Test (基礎能力試験) for the Administration division contains how many multiple-choice questions in the current (2024 reform onward) format?
2In the Basic Ability Test intelligence field (知能分野), which subsection has the largest number of questions (10 items)?
3A passage argues: 'Remote work increases individual productivity, yet weakens informal knowledge sharing among colleagues.' Which conclusion is best supported by this statement?
4Read the passage: 'Although the policy was intended to reduce traffic, surveys show that congestion actually worsened in the first year, prompting officials to revise it.' What does the passage most directly indicate?
5An English-passage item reads: 'The committee neither approved nor rejected the proposal; instead, it deferred the decision pending further data.' Which statement matches the passage?
6Judgment reasoning: Four people A, B, C, D finished a race in distinct positions. A finished ahead of B. C finished behind D. B finished ahead of D. Who finished first?
7Logic: 'All civil servants must keep official secrets. Some civil servants are statisticians.' Which conclusion necessarily follows?
8Five houses in a row are painted in five different colors: red, blue, green, white, and yellow. The blue house is immediately left of the green house. The red house is at the far left. The white house is immediately right of the green house. What is the order from left to right?
9Numerical reasoning: A worker completes a task in 6 hours; a second worker completes the same task in 3 hours. Working together, how long do they take?
10Numerical reasoning: A sum of money is split between X and Y in the ratio 3:5. If Y receives 12,000 yen more than X, how much does X receive?
About the Japan National Civil II Exam
The National Public Service Recruitment General Service Examination (university graduate level), known as Ippan-shoku, is conducted by Japan's National Personnel Authority to recruit non-career national civil servants who handle routine administrative work. Since the 2024 reform, the first-stage written tests for the Administration division comprise a multiple-choice Basic Ability Test of 30 questions (24 intelligence-field plus 6 knowledge-field items) answered in 1 hour 50 minutes, and a multiple-choice Specialized Test in which candidates answer 40 of 80 questions by selecting 8 of 16 subjects in 3 hours. A general essay test and a second-stage personal interview complete the process but are not multiple-choice. There is no examination fee, and selection is based on standardized scores rather than a fixed pass percentage.
Questions
70 scored questions
Time Limit
Basic Ability Test 1 hour 50 minutes; multiple-choice Specialized Test 3 hours
Passing Score
Standardized T-scores with a per-cycle first-stage cut-off and minimum benchmarks (基準点); no fixed percentage published
Exam Fee
No examination fee (National Personnel Authority (人事院, NPA), proctored at regional test sites across Japan)
Japan National Civil II Exam Content Outline
Basic Ability — Intelligence Field (知能分野)
Sentence comprehension (10), judgment reasoning (7), numerical reasoning (4), and data interpretation (3) — 24 of the 30 Basic Ability items
Basic Ability — Knowledge Field (知識分野)
Current affairs in natural, humanities, and social sciences plus information/IT — 6 of the 30 Basic Ability items
Specialized — Law (constitutional, administrative, civil)
Constitutional law, administrative law, and civil law (general provisions/real rights and claims/family/succession) among the selectable subjects
Specialized — Economics & Public Finance
Microeconomics, macroeconomics, and public finance/economic conditions, high-yield Specialized subjects
Specialized — Politics & Administration
Political science, public administration, international relations, and sociology
Specialized — Other Subjects & English
Business administration, psychology, education, and English (basic and general); choose 8 of 16 subjects total
How to Pass the Japan National Civil II Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Standardized T-scores with a per-cycle first-stage cut-off and minimum benchmarks (基準点); no fixed percentage published
- Exam length: 70 questions
- Time limit: Basic Ability Test 1 hour 50 minutes; multiple-choice Specialized Test 3 hours
- Exam fee: No examination fee
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
Japan National Civil II Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Japan National General Service Examination (Ippan-shoku, university graduate level)?
It is the National Personnel Authority's recruitment exam for non-career national civil servants who perform routine administrative work. The first stage includes a multiple-choice Basic Ability Test and a multiple-choice Specialized Test, followed by an essay and a personal interview.
Who administers the exam?
The National Personnel Authority (人事院, NPA), an independent body that runs national civil-service recruitment exams and issues the annual pay recommendation, administers the examination at regional test sites across Japan.
How much does the exam cost?
There is no examination fee. Candidates apply online during the NPA application window and pay only their own costs, such as travel to the test site and any optional preparation materials.
How many questions are on the Administration division exam, and how long is it?
Since 2024, the Basic Ability Test has 30 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour 50 minutes, and the multiple-choice Specialized Test presents 80 questions of which candidates answer 40 (choosing 8 of 16 subjects) in 3 hours.
What score do I need to pass?
There is no fixed pass percentage. Raw scores are converted to standardized T-scores; a first-stage cut-off is set each cycle, and falling below a subject's minimum benchmark (基準点) results in failure regardless of other scores.
What subjects can I choose on the Specialized Test?
For the Administration division you select 8 of 16 subjects: political science, public administration, constitutional law, administrative law, civil law I and II, microeconomics, macroeconomics, public finance/economic conditions, business administration, international relations, sociology, psychology, education, English (basic), and English (general).
Can I retake the exam?
The examination is held once a year, so there is no within-cycle retake; unsuccessful candidates reapply in the next annual cycle. Final passers remain on the recruitment-candidate list for 5 years.
What happens after I pass the written tests?
First-stage passers proceed to a personal interview, and final passers must conduct agency visits (官庁訪問) at ministries and agencies to receive an informal job offer; final pass does not by itself guarantee appointment.