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Planning around the BJT retake rule (3 calendar months, not 90 days): sit at 400 first, aim for 480 next

· 4 min read

The short version

The BJT retake wait is 3 calendar months after any sitting, not 90 days. Some candidates describe it as a 90-day rule. The organiser's FAQ says the rule is counted in months, not days. It also applies after every sitting, because the BJT has no pass or fail. For Japan's HSP points, the plan is to sit once to see where you are, and use the next sitting, 3 calendar months later, to push from 400 towards 480.

What the organiser says

  • Months, not days. The Japanese FAQ (Q5) says you cannot retake for 3 months after a sitting, and that the rule is "not controlled by a number of days such as 90, but by the number of months, whatever the length of each month" (90日等の日数での制御ではなく、月数（各月が何日間かは関係なし）の制御になります). FAQ
  • The FAQ's examples:
  • 1 April: next sitting on or after 1 July.
  • 15 January: on or after 15 April.
  • 30 November: on or after 1 March, because February has no 30th.
  • English homepage: "if you take the test on April 1st, you will be able to take it again on or after July 1st." English homepage
  • Booking: slots on or after the first allowed day can be booked, and that first day itself is allowed. For example, after a sitting on 1 March, bookings from 1 June onward are accepted. FAQ
  • No pass or fail: the BJT gives a 0 to 800 score and a level, so the wait applies to every sitting, not only a low one. FAQ
  • Certificate: it never expires. FAQ

Why 90 days is the wrong number

If you sit on 1 April, day 90 is 30 June. That is one day too early: the first allowed day is 1 July, which is day 91. If you sit on 1 December, 1 March is only 90 days later, so the two rules happen to agree. Counting days will sometimes work and sometimes not, so use the calendar month.

Planning with HSP points in mind

  • The tiers (ISA): BJT 400+ is +10 points and BJT 480+ is +15 points. The N2-equivalent points are not given on top of the N1-equivalent points, so 480 replaces 400. ISA points table
  • Sit at 400 first. If you reach 400 you hold the +10 tier, and the certificate never expires.
  • Aim for 480 next. Treat the first sitting as a measurement. Use your mistakes, and the 3 calendar months, to target the sections where you lost points.
  • Fee: 8,000 yen including tax in Japan per sitting, so a retake is a real cost. FAQ
  • Check with the ISA: the ISA sheets we read state no recency rule for BJT or JLPT results. Confirm current practice for your own application.

What to do during the wait

  • Review the score report by part and train your weakest sections.
  • Take LangBytes mock exams and treat their score as a practice estimate, not an official BJT score. Retake when your estimate sits comfortably above your target.
  • Book as soon as the date opens, because seats depend on the centre and the day.

Sources