Japan overwhelmed by surge in language proficiency test applicants

OSAKA - The Japanese government has asked Japanese-language schools nationwide to consider using alternatives to the commonly used exam known as the JLPT as a surge in applicants seeking work and student visas has strained testing capacity, sources close to the matter said Sunday.

The number of applicants for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test has risen sharply since the government started requiring language skills for a wider range of jobs in October last year, amid the country's growing dependence on foreign labor.