Test format & sections
必修問題 (Essential)
within sessions · 50 questions × 1 pt
Non-negotiable basics: anatomy, vital signs, safety, law fundamentals, basic pharmacology. The 80% rule is absolute — a candidate strong everywhere else who scores 39/50 here fails the entire exam. Predictable and drillable; essential-question mastery is always the first study priority.
一般問題 (General)
within sessions · ~130 questions × 1 pt
Knowledge and comprehension across all 11 subject areas of the 出題基準 — from anatomy and pathophysiology to social security law and current health statistics. Law and statistics questions draw on current-year data, so up-to-date materials matter.
状況設定問題 (Situation-Based)
within sessions · 60 questions × 2 pts
Patient scenarios testing clinical judgment, not recall — several options may be clinically plausible and the skill is ranking them. Worth 2 points each (120 of the 250 relative-line points), these decide most pass/fail outcomes for candidates who clear the essential gate.
How Kangoshi is scored
240 multiple-choice questions in three blocks. 必修 (Essential, 50 pts) has an ABSOLUTE pass line of 80% — fail it and you fail the exam. 一般 + 状況設定 (General + Situation-Based, 250 pts) has a RELATIVE pass line set each year, historically ~60–70%.
Score levels
Typical requirements
Kangoshi frequently asked questions
When is the exam held and how often?
Once a year, in mid-February, with results announced in late March. There is no second sitting — failing means waiting a full year, which is why mock exams under real timed conditions matter so much.
How does the dual pass requirement work?
You must clear TWO bars: (1) score at least 80% (40/50) on the 必修 Essential questions — this is absolute, and failing it fails the whole exam regardless of your other scores; (2) reach the yearly pass line (historically ~60–70%) on the combined 一般 General and 状況設定 Situation-Based questions, worth 250 points together.
What is the pass rate?
Around 90% overall, and roughly 95% for new nursing school graduates. It drops sharply for retakers and for EPA candidates taking the exam in Japanese as a second language — the exam is passable with systematic preparation but unforgiving of gaps.
Is the exam available in English?
No — the exam is conducted entirely in Japanese. EPA candidates (from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam under Economic Partnership Agreements) receive accommodations such as furigana readings on kanji and extended test time, but all questions remain in Japanese.
What is the best study strategy?
Past questions (過去問) are the core resource — a large share of each year's exam recycles past concepts in modified form. Master the 必修 Essential questions first (the absolute 80% gate), work through 5+ years of past papers focusing on why wrong options are wrong, and use current-year materials for law and statistics questions, which update annually.
What are 状況設定問題 and why are they hard?
Situation-based case questions: a patient scenario followed by 2–3 linked questions, each worth 2 points. They test clinical judgment — stems like 「最も適切なのはどれか」(which is MOST appropriate) mean several options can be clinically plausible and you must rank them, prioritising life-threat and safety first.