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Free Practice Questions for Secretary Skills Proficiency Test (秘書検定)

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Key Facts: Secretary Skills Proficiency Test (秘書検定) Exam

60% + 60%

Written pass: 理論 and 実技 must each reach 60% or higher

第140回 受験要項, 合格基準・筆記試験出題領域

4 grades

Official ladder: Grade 3, Grade 2, Pre-1 (準1), Grade 1; no eligibility restriction

秘書検定 homepage and 受験要項

5,200 JPY

2026 public-paper fee for Grade 2 (第140回)

第140回 受験要項

11:50–17:20 windows

Public-paper slots including 10 minutes of instructions, by grade

第140回 受験要項 試験時間

CBT Grades 2–3

Computer sitting via CBT-Solutions; same certification level; same-day result

秘書検定CBT試験について

秘書検定 is Japan's secretary-skills certification across four grades, with no eligibility limit. Pass the written paper at 60% in both theory and practical skills; Pre-1 and Grade 1 also sit an interview. 2026 Grade 2 public paper is 5,200 JPY. This bank is independent English MCQ study, not the official Japanese paper or interview.

Sample Secretary Skills Proficiency Test (秘書検定) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Secretary Skills Proficiency Test (秘書検定) exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A supplier asks for your supervisor's personal messaging ID so they can send an urgent note while the supervisor is out. Standing policy is that personal contact details go only to a short approved list. What should you do?
A.Give the ID after the caller promises not to share it.
B.Give the ID if the matter sounds urgent enough.
C.Decline to release the ID and offer to reach the supervisor yourself so the supervisor can reply.
D.Read the ID slowly so the caller can write it down, then ask them not to save it.
Explanation: Personal contact details of the supervisor are confidential. A secretary protects them even when a caller claims urgency, and instead offers to relay the matter so the supervisor can decide whether to respond. Promises from the caller do not override the standing rule.
2Which daily habit best shows the reliability expected of someone doing secretarial support?
A.Arriving early enough to check the day's schedule, visitor list, and desk before the supervisor starts work.
B.Arriving at the same minute as the supervisor so you walk in together.
C.Waiting until the supervisor asks before looking at the calendar.
D.Using the first hour for personal errands because the supervisor is in meetings.
Explanation: Secretarial work is judged by whether the supervisor can start smoothly. Checking the schedule, visitors, and workspace before the supervisor arrives is a basic quality of readiness. It is not about matching the supervisor's arrival time.
3You notice that a figure you typed into a meeting handout is wrong, and copies have already been placed in the meeting room. What should you do?
A.Say nothing unless someone else spots it, to avoid looking careless.
B.Correct the figure, replace the copies if time allows, and tell the supervisor promptly what happened.
C.Wait until after the meeting and fix only the file on your computer.
D.Ask a colleague to mention the error so your name is not attached.
Explanation: Honesty and quick recovery matter more than protecting your image. You correct what you can, warn the supervisor, and take responsibility. Hiding an error that others will use is a failure of the required qualities, not a small clerical slip.
4Your supervisor is on a two-day trip. A client calls, clearly upset about a delivery, and insists on speaking to the supervisor today. What is the most appropriate first response after you identify yourself?
A.Tell the client to call again after the trip because you cannot help.
B.Give the hotel phone number and tell the client to try the supervisor directly.
C.Argue the delivery facts yourself so the supervisor is not bothered.
D.Listen, take the details, and offer to have the supervisor call the client back as soon as you can reach them.
Explanation: An injured client needs a path to the supervisor, not a delay, a leaked hotel number, or an unauthorized debate. Listening and arranging a callback protects both the relationship and confidentiality. Grade 2 items often test this kind of priority under pressure.
5A colleague from another section asks, casually, whether the rumor about a pending alliance is true, because they saw sealed envelopes on your desk. What should you say?
A.That you cannot discuss the contents of the supervisor's papers, and leave it there.
B.That it is probably true, but they should keep it to themselves.
C.A vague hint so they do not feel ignored, without naming the partner.
D.The name of the other company, since they already saw the envelopes.
Explanation: Confidentiality is a named required quality in the review standards. Seeing envelopes is not permission to discuss them. A clean refusal, without hints, is the professional response.
6At the same moment a visitor is waiting at reception, the phone is ringing, and you still have filing to finish before lunch. What is the sound order of attention?
A.Finish the filing first so the papers are not left out, then the phone, then the visitor.
B.Take the phone first, finish the file, then greet the visitor.
C.Acknowledge the visitor, handle the ringing phone promptly, and leave the filing until people are not waiting.
D.Ask the visitor to file the papers while you take the call.
Explanation: People in front of you and a ringing line outrank housekeeping. A visitor should not stand ignored while you tidy files. You greet, manage the call without abandoning the visitor, and return to filing when no one is waiting.
7A junior colleague says the supervisor has been short-tempered and they are afraid to pass on a time-sensitive message. Which advice is most appropriate?
A.Avoid the supervisor until the mood improves, even if the message is delayed.
B.Pass the message in a brief written note if a spoken approach is difficult, keep your own manner steady, and look for what tends to trigger the mood.
C.Gossip with other desks so everyone can avoid the supervisor together.
D.Tell the supervisor, in front of others, that the mood is a problem.
Explanation: Pre-1 judgment items expect support that still gets the work through. A short note, a calm manner, and attention to causes are practical. Delaying a time-sensitive message, spreading talk, or confronting the supervisor in public all make the situation worse.
8You overhear two people in the corridor naming someone who may be transferred. What should you do with that information?
A.Treat it as unconfirmed and keep it to yourself.
B.Warn the person named, as a kindness.
C.Ask around to see whether the rumor is already common knowledge.
D.Post a joke about transfers on the team chat without names.
Explanation: Personnel talk is sensitive even when it is only a rumor. Repeating it, 'kindly' warning the person, or probing others all spread harm. Discretion means the story stops with you.
9While you are packing a sudden overnight bag, a manager from another department asks where your supervisor is going, in a tone that suggests they already know. The trip has not been announced. What should you do?
A.Name the city, since the manager seems to know anyway.
B.Show the itinerary on your screen so they can read it themselves.
C.Confirm the destination but refuse to give hotel details.
D.Say you have not been told details you can share, offer to take a message, and later tell your supervisor what was asked.
Explanation: Someone else's hint does not authorize a leak. You treat unpublished travel as unknown for discussion, take a message, and report the inquiry so the supervisor can decide what to say. This is a higher-grade judgment item about confidentiality under social pressure.
10In the lunch area a teammate criticizes your supervisor's decision in front of you. What should you do?
A.Join in so you are not seen as a favorite.
B.Decline to criticize the supervisor and steer the talk back to work, or leave.
C.Record the comments to play later as a warning.
D.Repeat the comments to the supervisor word for word as gossip.
Explanation: Loyalty and good sense both say you do not join public criticism of the person you support. You also need not become a spy. A calm refusal to take part is the professional line.

About the Secretary Skills Proficiency Test (秘書検定) Exam

The Secretary Skills Proficiency Test (秘書技能検定試験, 秘書検定) is a Japanese-language workplace certification administered by the Institute of Jitsumu Ginou Kentei, with MEXT backing (文部科学省後援). It uses four grades (3, 2, Pre-1, and 1) and has no eligibility restriction. The written paper is split into 理論 (required qualities, job knowledge, general knowledge) and 実技 (manners/reception and skills); both parts must reach 60%. Pre-1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 mix mark-sheet and written items; Grade 1 is all written. Pre-1 and Grade 1 also require an interview after the written pass. CBT for Grades 2 and 3 is delivered through CBT-Solutions at the same certification level, with a same-day result. OpenExamPrep provides independent English-language multiple-choice study for those topics. It is not an official translation, not a written-answer simulation, and not an interview rehearsal, and there is no official English sitting.

Exam sponsor: The Institute of Jitsumu Ginou Kentei (公益財団法人 実務技能検定協会). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Four grades: 3, 2, Pre-1 (準1), and 1. Public paper sittings are held three times a year; the February sitting is Grade 2 and Grade 3 only. Pre-1/2/3 papers mix mark-sheet and written items. Grade 1 is all written. Pre-1 and Grade 1 add an interview after the written pass. CBT covers Grade 2 and Grade 3 only.

Time Limit

Public-paper windows include 10 minutes of instructions: Grade 3 11:50–13:50; Grade 2 14:50–17:00; Pre-1 11:50–14:10; Grade 1 14:50–17:20.

Passing Score

理論 and 実技 must each be 60% or higher on the written paper. Pre-1 and Grade 1 also require a passing interview.

Exam / Certification Fees

2026 public paper 第140回: 7,800 JPY (Grade 1), 6,500 JPY (Pre-1), 5,200 JPY (Grade 2), 3,800 JPY (Grade 3). Combinations: 1+Pre-1 14,300 JPY; 1+3 11,600 JPY; Pre-1+2 11,700 JPY; 2+3 9,000 JPY.

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

15% of this local practice set

Required Qualities (必要とされる資質)

Discretion, judgment, initiative, and the personality traits listed in the 秘書技能審査基準. Official papers do not publish domain percentages.

15% of this local practice set

Job Knowledge (職務知識)

The secretary's function relative to the supervisor, screening, and priority-setting named under 職務知識.

10% of this local practice set

General Knowledge (一般知識)

Social common sense and introductory management vocabulary named under 社会常識 and 経営に関する知識.

35% of this local practice set

Manners and Reception (マナー・接遇)

Keigo, 二重敬語, telephone referral, visitor guidance, seating order, business cards, and 慶弔贈答 from the manners domain.

25% of this local practice set

Secretarial Skills (技能)

Documents, 時候の挨拶, filing, meetings, schedules, confidential papers, and office environment from the 技能 list.

Preparing for the Secretary Skills Proficiency Test (秘書検定) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 理論 and 実技 must each be 60% or higher on the written paper. Pre-1 and Grade 1 also require a passing interview.
  • Assessment: Four grades: 3, 2, Pre-1 (準1), and 1. Public paper sittings are held three times a year; the February sitting is Grade 2 and Grade 3 only. Pre-1/2/3 papers mix mark-sheet and written items. Grade 1 is all written. Pre-1 and Grade 1 add an interview after the written pass. CBT covers Grade 2 and Grade 3 only.
  • Time limit: Public-paper windows include 10 minutes of instructions: Grade 3 11:50–13:50; Grade 2 14:50–17:00; Pre-1 11:50–14:10; Grade 1 14:50–17:20.
  • Exam / certification fees: 2026 public paper 第140回: 7,800 JPY (Grade 1), 6,500 JPY (Pre-1), 5,200 JPY (Grade 2), 3,800 JPY (Grade 3). Combinations: 1+Pre-1 14,300 JPY; 1+3 11,600 JPY; Pre-1+2 11,700 JPY; 2+3 9,000 JPY. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Secretary Skills Proficiency Test (秘書検定): Suggested Study Strategy

1Drill 尊敬語 and 謙譲語 as pairs, and watch 二重敬語 such as おっしゃられる. When speaking to a visitor about your own supervisor, use humble language for the ウチ side.
2Memorize 時候の挨拶 with the month they conventionally match, including 初春の候 (January), 盛夏の候 (July), and 歳晩の候 (December).
3Practice visitor, telephone, seating, card, and 慶弔 rules as reception sequences, not isolated trivia: 結び切り for once-only events such as marriage, ちょう結び for repeatable celebrations.
4On documents, pair 頭語 and 結語 (拝啓 with 敬具, 前略 with 草々) and keep confidential markings such as 親展 on the envelope and the handling path.
5For Grade 2 priority items, decide who is affected by a schedule change and who is not, and never leak internal order or personal contact details of the supervisor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 秘書検定?

秘書技能検定試験 (秘書検定) is a Japanese workplace-skills exam run by the Institute of Jitsumu Ginou Kentei, with MEXT backing. Grades 3, 2, Pre-1, and 1 have no eligibility restriction. The Association describes it as training in the impression created by expression, attitude, behavior, wording, and speech.

What format is the real 秘書検定 examination?

The official exam is in Japanese. Pre-1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 mix mark-sheet selection with written answers. Grade 1 is entirely written. Pre-1 and Grade 1 candidates who pass the written paper must also pass an interview. Grade 2 and Grade 3 may sit CBT at CBT-Solutions centers. It is not an English four-option multiple-choice paper.

Does OpenExamPrep simulate the official written paper or the Pre-1/Grade 1 interview?

No. OpenExamPrep publishes independent English-language multiple-choice study. It is not an official translation, not a written-answer simulation, and not an interview or role-play rehearsal.

How much does 秘書検定 cost in 2026?

第140回 public-paper fees are 7,800 JPY for Grade 1, 6,500 JPY for Pre-1, 5,200 JPY for Grade 2, and 3,800 JPY for Grade 3. Same-day combinations are listed on the official guide (for example Grade 2 + Grade 3 is 9,000 JPY). Fees are in Japanese yen.

Is 秘書検定 offered in English?

No. The Association administers 秘書検定 in Japanese. This practice bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation for people who search and study in English. It is not an official English sitting.

What is the passing standard?

On the written paper, 理論 and 実技 must each reach 60% or higher. Scoring 60% overall is not enough if one of those two domains is below 60%. Pre-1 and Grade 1 also require a passing interview after the written result.

What is 秘書検定 CBT?

CBT is a computer sitting of Grade 2 or Grade 3 at CBT-Solutions test centers. The Association states that the qualification level is the same as the conventional paper exam, results are issued the same day, and it is not limited to the three annual paper dates.