Business-Level Japanese: What Job Postings Really Mean
"Business-level Japanese" has no official definition. No test awards it and no law defines it. Job boards in Japan usually treat it as JLPT N2, but employers describe the same requirement in very different ways when they write their own postings. We read four live postings on company career pages and found four different scales: one uses the JLPT, one uses CEFR, one uses an in-house scale, and one uses no scale at all.
So the useful question is not "Is N2 business level?" It is "What will I do in Japanese in this job?" A role where you write to colleagues in Japanese asks for something different from a role where you advise Japanese clients. This article shows how to tell them apart, using the official test descriptions and real postings.
The postings below were live as of October 1, 2026. Some may have closed since. Details are summarized from the original listings; always check the source before applying.
The JLPT is the test most postings mention, so start with what it covers. The official level summary describes each level in terms of reading and listening only. N2 means you can read clearly written material on a range of topics and follow conversations and news at nearly natural speed. N1 adds logically complex and abstract writing, and lectures at natural speed.
The test has no speaking section and no writing section. An N2 certificate tells an employer what you can understand. It does not tell them how you sound in a meeting or how your emails read.
Job boards need a filter, so they turn Japanese ability into a short list of options. Daijob, one of the largest bilingual job boards in Japan, sorts postings into six levels and ties two of them to the JLPT: "Fluent" is paired with N1 and "Business Conversation Level" with N2.
This is where most of the "business level = N2" idea comes from. It is a filter label. As the postings below show, the employer's own words are often different.
Since the December 2025 test, JLPT score reports show a CEFR level for reference. CEFR is the A1 to C2 scale used for European languages. The mapping depends on your total score, not only on the level you passed:
JLPT level
Total score
CEFR reference
N2
90 to 111
B1
N2
112 or higher
B2
N1
100 to 141
B2
N1
142 or higher
C1
Two things follow. A bare pass at N2 is shown as B1, not B2. And the JLPT states that this reference does not include speaking, writing, or interaction, because the test does not measure them.
The Business Japanese Proficiency Test (BJT) is the one test designed for workplace Japanese. It gives a score from 0 to 800 and six levels, from J5 to J1+. J2 (420 to 529 points) is described as handling a limited range of business situations. J1 (530 to 599) covers a wide range, and J1+ (600 and above) covers any business situation.
The BJT level guide does not map its levels to the JLPT. None of the four postings we read mentions the BJT either. It is a useful way to check yourself, but it is not what employers ask for.
ZenGroup's posting is the only one of the four that uses the JLPT. For native English speakers, it asks for Japanese at "Business level (N2+)." Customer support itself is done by chat in English, with no phone calls. Japanese is for working with other departments through internal systems, reporting, and occasional translation.
The selection process has three interviews. The second is in person and includes a translation test, and the company reimburses travel up to ¥27,000 for candidates from outside the Kansai region. The role is on-site at the Osaka head office. The posting says salary depends on experience and gives no figure.
Visa: Not stated. Neither the posting nor ZenGroup's careers site mentions visa support, so ask before you apply.
Mercari's posting does not mention the JLPT. It uses CEFR: Japanese at B2 or above is required, and English at B1 or above is preferred, including people who can reach that level within six months of joining.
Mercari writes its other postings the same way, and the level changes with the job. On October 1, several product and HR roles asked for Japanese at B2, while marketing, partner sales, and customer support roles asked for C1. Set against the JLPT's own reference table, B2 lines up with N2 at 112 points or more, or with N1. The posting does not state a salary.
Visa: Not stated in the posting. Mercari's careers FAQ says the company helps new hires from overseas obtain a visa as part of a relocation package, and that interviews can be done online from abroad. The details are confirmed at the offer stage, so check that they apply to this role.
Rakuten's posting uses a scale of its own. Under "Languages" it lists Japanese as "Overall - 4 - Fluent," and it asks for business-level English. There is no JLPT level.
The same role appears on Daijob with the label "Fluent (JLPT N1)" and a salary range of ¥5.5 million to ¥8.5 million. The N1 comes from the job board's filter. Rakuten's page does not say it.
Visa: Not stated, either on Rakuten's page or in the Daijob listing.
Veeva's posting uses no scale. It asks for native or fluent Japanese, written and spoken, and proficient English. The job is client-facing: you help life sciences companies set up Veeva's software, which means gathering requirements, running training, and writing documentation in Japanese. It is aimed at recent graduates and people with one to two years of experience.
On Daijob, the role is labeled "Fluent (JLPT N1)" with a salary of ¥4.5 million to ¥5 million.
Visa: No sponsorship stated. Both Veeva's page and the Daijob listing say applicants must already be authorized to work in Japan.
At ZenGroup, customers get English and colleagues get Japanese. At Veeva, clients get Japanese. Colleagues will forgive a wrong particle. A client relationship depends on keigo and on sounding careful, and that is usually where "business level" turns into "fluent" or "native."
Reading is what the JLPT tests, so most N2 holders read better than they write. Check whether the role produces Japanese documents (proposals, training material, reports) or mainly reads them. Chat messages to a teammate are a lower bar than a document a client will keep.
The selection process shows what the company will check. ZenGroup runs a translation test in the second interview. One Mercari product role notes that part of the interview is in English. If a posting says nothing, assume the interview is in Japanese whenever Japanese is required for the job.
We can't tell you that N2 will get you hired. We can tell you what these postings say.
One of the four, ZenGroup, names N2 as its minimum for native English speakers. Mercari's B2 requirement matches the JLPT's reference for N2 at 112 points or more, with the caveat that the reference covers reading and listening only. Rakuten and Veeva ask for "fluent" or "native or fluent" Japanese and do not name a test. Neither says N2 is enough, and we would not assume it.
A reasonable reading: with N2, look for roles where Japanese is used inside the company and English (or another language you speak) is used with customers. If you passed N2 close to the 90-point line, your CEFR reference is B1, and a B2 requirement is a stretch. If your speaking is behind your reading, that gap matters more than the certificate. Our guide to the intermediate plateau covers how to close it.
The certificate has one use that does not depend on any employer. According to the JLPT's official site, N1 earns 15 points and N2 earns 10 points under Japan's points-based system for highly skilled foreign professionals, where 70 points or more qualifies for preferential immigration treatment. The Immigration Services Agency of Japan publishes the details of the system.
Of the four postings above, none states visa sponsorship in the listing itself. Mercari describes visa help on its careers site, and Veeva requires existing work authorization. "Not stated" does not mean no. It means you need to ask. In the newsletter, we note for each job whether the listing mentions visa support and whether it accepts applications from overseas.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For decisions about your own visa or status of residence, consult a certified administrative scrivener (gyoseishoshi) or the Immigration Services Agency.
