Upfront, my Japanese sucks. But I’ve come across things lately where as a condition to say, applying for a credit card or serving as a volunteer at a civic event, a requirement is that you can write Japanese (in addition to speaking and reading). Not sure how having writing skills ties in to understanding the obligations that go with a credit card, but I suppose at an event there could be reports that need to be completed and submitted. My understanding is the JLPT tests listening and reading, and assigns a level to the test-taker. Is there anything that attests to (or rates) writing skills in Japanese for non-natives?
3 comments
I only know of æ¼¢å—検定 for native speakers.
If you just want to practice writing, there are a lot of practice books out there.
I can speak and read pretty much fluently, but I cannot write by hand (I can type perfectly well). I mean, recognition of 2,000+ kanji is a hell of a lot easier than being able to recall what they look like from scratch. It is a hassle though sometimes, because Japanese society is very much paper-based and refuses to do so many things digitally. That being said though, most real work and such can be done with a computer, so I personally don’t see the point of wasting however many hundred/thousand hours would be required to develop handwritten proficiency.
I’ve never heard of those requirements for a credit cad, but wouldn’t put it past Japan to incorporate something like this.
There are a variety of tests that are used to level different skills. I’ve never seen one dedicated to just writing though.
I recommend just practicing in a daily diary and useful beginner textbooks since your level is low.
Also, your interpretation of the JLPT is a little wrong. The test-taker signs up for a level of their choosing. It’s a pass/fail test. They don’t provide a scope or information on your Japanese level if you fail.