For IT engineers seeking career growth in Japan, IPA (Information-technology Promotion Agency) certifications are more than just credentials — they are key factors for salary increases, promotions, and especially earning points toward the Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa. The system is divided into 4 distinct levels.
1IT Passport (IP) – General Knowledge
IT Passport is the most basic certification. Contrary to popular belief, it is designed for all workers in the digital age, not just IT professionals.
Target Audience
New graduates, business staff (Sales, HR, Marketing) at IT companies, or career-changers who want a broad overview of technology and business management.
Key Knowledge Areas
- Strategy: Corporate management, law (copyright, personal data protection), basic business strategy.
- Management: Project management, basic system development.
- Technology: Foundational knowledge of hardware, networking, security, and logic.
The exam runs year-round as a CBT. No coding required — just memorize key terms and practice past papers on the IT Shiken practice system. You can pass within 1–2 months of focused study.
2FE / SG – Fundamental IT Engineer
This is the official milestone proving you are a real IT engineer. It splits into two popular tracks: FE (Fundamental IT Engineer) for software developers and SG (Information Security Management) for system administrators.
FE Exam Structure (Unique Format):
- Section A (Theory - 90 min): 60 MCQs covering discrete math, data structures, algorithms, OS, databases, networking, and management topics.
- Section B (Practical - 100 min): 20 questions. The most challenging part — 16 pseudo-code reading questions on algorithms and data structures, plus 4 security scenario questions.
"Since 2023, the FE exam dropped all specific programming languages (C, Java, Python...) in Section B, switching entirely to pseudo-code. This demands pure algorithmic thinking rather than memorizing syntax."
3AP – Applied IT Engineer & System Design
AP (Applied Information Technology Engineer) is the gold standard for Senior Engineers, Team Leads, and BrSEs. Holding this certification grants significant bonus points for Permanent Residency or the HSP visa.
Morning (Multiple Choice)
80 questions / 150 min. Requires 60% to pass. Covers a very wide range from microprocessors, computer architecture, encryption algorithms to 3rd/4th normal form database design.
Afternoon (Short Answer / Case Study)
150 min. Solve 1 mandatory question (Security) and choose 4 of 10 specialty topics (Programming, DB, Network, Embedded, Audit...). Requires reading 4–5 page A4 system scenarios and writing short answers.
4Specialist – High-Level Expert
The "final boss" of IPA — pass rates are typically only 10%–15%. Academic knowledge alone is not enough; you must have real project experience.
The dreaded Essay (論文): For PM, SA, and IT Strategist (ST) tracks, the afternoon exam requires handwriting a 2,000–3,000 character essay in Japanese within 120 minutes, describing a real project you've worked on. This is a massive barrier for non-native Japanese speakers.
