Rivalry for Government Positions in Japan Reaches an All-Time Low

Successful employment candidates comprise slightly over one third of those who applied for career-track positions in Japan.

, and ASMedia

2025 August 29 . 2:56 PM

1 min read

Japan's Government Job Competition Reaches Record-breaking Low

Rivalry for Government Positions in Japan Reaches an All-Time Low

In a surprising turn of events, the National Personnel Authority (NPA) reported on Tuesday, August 12, 20XX, that the pass rate for employment examinations for Japan's career-track national public servants was the lowest ever in fiscal year 2025. One out of 2.9 applicants passed, marking a significant shift from the previous year's pass rate of one out of 3.2 applicants.

The record low competition rate can be attributed to an increase in the number of planned hires by each ministry and agency. This increased the number of successful applicants, lowering the competition ratio and resulting in more applicants passing relative to the total number of applicants.

Another contributing factor is the introduction of a new examination division in fiscal 2025. This division assesses judgment and thinking ability, accounting for about 20% of successful applicants. The new division may have altered the composition and assessment difficulty of the exam.

While there is no direct indication that the exam difficulty increased, challenges related to descriptive and critical thinking skills in exams may have impacted applicant performance. This link, however, is indirect and is not specifically linked to the public servant exam pass rate.

In fiscal year 2025, a total of 8,815 people passed the exam, an increase of 1,258 from the previous year. The number of applicants who passed under the new division examining judgment and thinking ability was 1,763.

Despite the record low competition rate, the increase in planned hires suggests that the demand for career-track national public servants remains strong. The NPA will continue to monitor the trends and adjust the examination process as necessary to ensure fair and effective selection of candidates.