Overview
The national nursing examination (看護師国家試験) is the licensing test for nurses in Japan. It is held once a year by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) under the Act on Public Health Nurses, Midwives and Nurses. Passing it is the step that leads to a nurse licence. This page covers the 116th examination, announced on 3 August 2026.
Who can apply
Candidates must fall into one of the groups below. People expected to graduate by 12 March 2027 may apply.
Graduates of a university designated by the Minister of Education who completed the nursing course there.
Those who completed at least three years of nursing study at a designated school.
Graduates of a nurse training institution designated by the prefectural governor.
Licensed assistant nurses (junior nurses) with at least three years of work experience since licensing, or high-school graduates among them, who have completed two or more years at a designated university, school or training institution.
Foreign-educated candidates (a foreign nursing school graduate or foreign nursing licence holder) whom the Minister recognises as having knowledge and skills equal to or above the groups above. This needs a separate recognition certificate before applying.
Foreign nurse candidates working in Japanese hospitals under the economic partnership agreements with Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, after language and nursing introduction training, if the Minister recognises their level as equivalent.
Exam pattern
The 116th exam is held on one day, Sunday 14 February 2027, in these prefectures: Hokkaido, Aomori, Miyagi, Tokyo, Niigata, Aichi, Ishikawa, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kagawa, Fukuoka and Okinawa. Venues are given on the admit card.
Syllabus
The subjects announced for the exam are:
Structure and function of the human body
How diseases arise and how recovery is promoted
Health support and the social security system
Fundamentals of nursing
Community and home-care nursing
Adult nursing
Gerontological nursing
Child nursing
Maternal nursing
Psychiatric nursing
Integration and practice of nursing
Marking and results
For the 115th exam (February 2026), compulsory (essential) questions and general questions were worth 1 point each, and situational questions were worth 2 points each. To pass, a candidate had to meet both of these conditions:
At least 40 of 50 points on the compulsory questions.
At least 166 of 249 points on the general and situational questions combined.
In the 115th exam, 59,614 candidates sat the test and 52,666 passed, a pass rate of 88.3%. Among new graduates the pass rate was 94.1%. The pass criteria can differ from one exam to the next, so check the announcement for the 116th.
Important dates
For the 116th exam:
Application forms available from mid-October 2026.
Request for special accommodation (for sight, hearing or speech impairments): by 1 October 2026.
Application documents accepted: 6 November 2026 to 27 November 2026. Postal applications need a registered-mail postmark no later than 27 November 2026.
Admit cards posted: mid-January 2027. Contact the exam office if yours has not arrived by 29 January 2027.
Exam day: 14 February 2027.
Graduation or completion certificates for expected graduates: due by 2:00 pm on 5 March 2027, with a final deadline of 2:00 pm on 12 March 2027.
Results: 2:00 pm on 24 March 2027, published on the MHLW website.
Fees
The examination fee is 5,400 yen, paid with revenue stamps of that value affixed to the application form and left uncancelled.
How to apply
Application forms are normally handed out by the schools and training institutions. Others can request them from the nursing examination headquarters office or from a temporary office in an exam region. The application is sent by registered mail to the headquarters office, or handed in at a temporary office during the stated period on weekdays. It includes a photo on the official mount, confirmed as a true likeness, and the documents that match the applicant's eligibility group. Late or incomplete documents can make the application invalid.
After the exam
Pass numbers are posted on the MHLW website by exam region and candidate number. The notice for the 115th exam also lists questions that were excluded from scoring, so results can reflect adjustments.
How often is the exam held?
Once a year, in February. The MHLW's notice for the 115th covers exams held on 12, 13 and 15 February 2026 (for nurses, public health nurses and midwives together), and the 116th nursing exam is scheduled for 14 February 2027.
What is the fee?
5,400 yen, paid in revenue stamps on the application form.
Can candidates who have not yet graduated apply?
Yes, if they expect to graduate or complete their course by 12 March 2027. They must submit a certificate of expected completion first, then the proof of completion by the deadlines.