衛生管理 Hygiene management (80 points)
The Food Sanitation Act, HACCP-based hygiene management as the legal standard, the 14 general hygiene items, critical control points.
Restaurant-sector Tokutei Ginou 2 exam guide
The Tokutei Ginou 2 restaurant exam: format, pass mark, scope and pass rates
If you work in a Japanese restaurant and want to move from Tokutei Ginou 1 to Tokutei Ginou 2 (Specified Skilled Worker No. 2), this is the exam you sit: the 外食業分野特定技能2号評価試験. This page explains its format, how the points are split between subjects, the pass mark, the official scope, how many people have passed so far, who can apply, what the computer-based test looks like, and how to plan your study around the points.
Every number comes from OTAFF (the exam body), Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture (MAFF) or Prometric (the test-centre operator), with the source linked and the date we checked it. For applications and eligibility, the official pages always win.
Last updated 2026-11-11 · By Minna no Tokugi, an independent study app not connected with OTAFF
The exam at a glance
The official name is 外食業分野特定技能2号評価試験, the restaurant-sector Tokutei Ginou 2 evaluation exam. It is run by OTAFF (the Organization for Technical Skill Assessment of Foreign Workers in Food Industry) and, in Japan, taken on a computer at a Prometric test centre.
| Exam body | OTAFF (Organization for Technical Skill Assessment of Foreign Workers in Food Industry) |
|---|---|
| Parts | An academic part (学科試験) and a practical part (実技試験), both answered on screen |
| Time | 70 minutes |
| Answer format | Multiple choice, three options per question |
| Language | Japanese. The kanji carry no furigana (reading aids) |
| Delivery | Computer-based testing (CBT) at a test centre |
| Full score | 250 points |
| Pass mark | 163 points or more (65% or more) on the combined score; there is no minimum per subject or per part |
| Fee | ¥14,000 including tax |
| Retaking | Not for 45 full days after an attempt; you can sit again from day 46 |
| Dates | Each fiscal year has its own test window and venues; check the OTAFF exam guide and Prometric’s test page, as the window changes from year to year |
Source: OTAFF exam guide (checked 2026-08-24); the pass rule is in the MAFF implementation guidelines (実施要領) (checked 2026-09-03)
Questions and points per subject
55 questions, 250 points. The academic part has 35 questions worth 120 points; the practical part has 20 questions worth 130 points. “Practical” does not mean cooking: it is a judgement test (判断試験), where you pick the right action in a situation shown with figures or pictures, and a planning test (計画立案試験), where you plan work using a formula you are given. Both are multiple choice on screen.
| Subject | Questions | Points each | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 衛生管理 Hygiene | 10 | 4 | 40 |
| 飲食物調理 Cooking | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| 接客全般 Customer service | 10 | 3 | 30 |
| 店舗運営 Store management | 10 | 4 | 40 |
| Academic total | 35 | — | 120 |
| Subject | Questions | Points each | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 衛生管理 Hygiene | 5 | 8 | 40 |
| 飲食物調理 Cooking | 5 | 4 | 20 |
| 接客全般 Customer service | 5 | 6 | 30 |
| 店舗運営 Store management | 5 | 8 | 40 |
| Practical total | 20 | — | 130 |
Source: MAFF implementation guidelines (revised April 2026, checked 2026-09-03); OTAFF exam guide (checked 2026-09-03)
Points per subject, both parts together
Hygiene 80, store management 80, customer service 60, cooking 30. The two 80-point subjects are 160 of the 250 points, or 64% of the exam. Because the pass mark of 163 is judged on the combined score with no minimum per subject, a strong subject can cover a weak one.
During the test you have an on-screen calculator and memo paper with a pen (or an e-pad). The planning questions are written with the calculator in mind.
Source: MAFF implementation guidelines, OTAFF exam guide (checked 2026-09-03)
What the exam covers (出題範囲)
The scope is published as Appendix 3 of the MAFF guidelines. In summary, the four subjects cover the topics below; for the practical part, each subject also tests “judging the right action for the situation”.
店舗運営 Store management (80 points)
Numerical management (sales per labour hour, cost), ordering and receiving goods, ABC analysis, customer management, employment management and the Labour Standards Act, hiring and on-the-job training, fire and disaster prevention, business permits and notifications.
接客全般 Customer service (60 points)
Serving customers, allergens, date labelling, religious diets, store and cash management, food loss, complaints, emergencies, public-health administration, health promotion, school and elderly meals, food production.
飲食物調理 Food and drink preparation (30 points)
Ingredients, preparation, cooking methods, cooking plans, kitchen equipment, occupational safety, food distribution, food additives.
Source: MAFF implementation guidelines, Appendix 3 (checked 2026-09-03). The summary is ours; the exact scope is in the original, in Japanese.
Pass rates by year
Results of the exam in Japan, as published by OTAFF. Up to fiscal year 2025 the exam in Japan was on paper, on fixed dates; from fiscal year 2026 it is computer-based, taken on a date you book within a test window.
Restaurant-sector Tokutei Ginou 2 exam in Japan: candidates, passers and pass rate
| Fiscal year | Sessions | Candidates | Passed | Pass rate | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 1 (March 2024) | 292 | 113 | 38.7% | OTAFF, ISA FY2023 report |
| FY2024 | 3 | 1,353 | 780 | 57.7% | OTAFF, ISA FY2024 report |
| FY2025 | 3 (sum of the published session results) | 4,210 | 2,308 | 54.8% | OTAFF session 1, session 2, session 3 |
Checked 2026-09-03. The move to CBT: OTAFF notice. ISA is the Immigration Services Agency of Japan.
The number of candidates grew about fourteen-fold in two years, and a little over half of them pass. The MAFF guidelines set the difficulty so that about 30% of candidates with two years of assistant-manager experience pass without studying the text. Experience alone is not enough; studying the published scope is what separates the pass rate from that 30%.
Source: MAFF implementation guidelines (checked 2026-09-03)
Who can sit the exam
The 2026 OTAFF guide says a candidate sitting the exam in Japan must meet all of its conditions, which include the following (our summary).
- Hold a valid status of residence on the test date
- Be at least 17 years old on the test date
- Hold a passport from an eligible country or region
- Show, through your employer’s registration, at least two years of the defined restaurant-sector experience supervising or assisting management
To apply for Tokutei Ginou 2 status itself you also need the required Japanese-language qualification, on top of passing this exam.
Source: OTAFF exam guide (checked 2026-08-24)
This page does not decide whether you are eligible. The conditions are legal requirements and can change. Whether you can sit the exam, and what your application needs, is for the current OTAFF guide to say.
Passing the exam does not guarantee a status of residence, a certificate of eligibility or a visa. Those are assessed separately by the Immigration Services Agency and other authorities. Minna no Tokugi gives no immigration advice.
What the CBT screen is like
The exam runs on Prometric’s computer-based testing system. The description below is of the screen Prometric uses for the Specified Skilled Worker exams in general. Prometric notes that details vary by exam, so the screen on the day may differ from this.
The top of the screen
Page and section indicator, a clock with the total time remaining, and a “Finish Test” button; a second bar shows the test and your name.
Moving between questions
A column of numbered buttons on the left; click one to jump to that question (some sections only go in order). Back and Next at the bottom.
Question and options
The question sits above full-width option boxes; the option you choose changes colour. The numbered buttons look different for answered, current, unanswered and flagged questions.
Review and finishing
You can flag a question to review later. Finishing with unanswered or flagged questions brings up a warning. When time runs out the test ends by itself.
Tools
An on-screen calculator, and memo paper with a pen or an e-pad.
Results
Not shown on screen. They appear on your Prometric MyPage within five business days.
Try the screen for free before the exam
Prometric publishes a free CBT tutorial that runs in the browser with a 15-minute timer. It needs Edge or Chrome and a screen of at least 1024 × 768, and does not run on a phone. The steps from application to test day are on Prometric’s domestic exam flow page, and the rules for the day in OTAFF’s candidate instructions. All three are in Japanese.
Source: Prometric domestic exam flow, CBT tutorial, operation screens, OTAFF candidate instructions (all checked 2026-09-03)
How to study, weighted by points
The four subjects are worth very different amounts. If 163 points is the target, the shortest route is to make the heavy subjects safe first.
- 衛生管理 Hygiene80 pts · 32%
- 店舗運営 Store management80 pts · 32%
- 接客全般 Customer service60 pts · 24%
- 飲食物調理 Cooking30 pts · 12%
-
Start with hygiene (80 points)
Its questions are worth the most (4 in the academic part, 8 in the practical), and the material is fixed terminology such as HACCP and the 14 hygiene items, so every hour of study turns into points. In Minna no Tokugi the hygiene lessons and mock exam 1 are free.
-
Get comfortable with the store-management numbers (80 points)
Sales per labour hour, cost ratios and the other numerical management topics come up in the planning questions, where you are given the formula. Practise putting numbers into formulas with a calculator, as on the day. The Labour Standards Act and business permits are in scope too.
-
Cover the breadth of customer service (60 points)
Allergens, date labelling, religious diets, complaints, emergencies and more: many topics, 3 points each (6 in the practical). Steady coverage that avoids losing easy points pays off here.
-
Finish with cooking (30 points)
The smallest subject, but when you are 3 or 4 points short of 163 this is where the gap closes. Go once through ingredients, preparation, equipment and additives.
-
Do full runs at exam pace: 55 questions in 70 minutes
That is a little over a minute per question. Timed mock exams in the real format teach you to keep time for the figures in the judgement questions and the arithmetic in the planning ones, and get you used to Japanese without furigana.
-
Learn the CBT controls before the day
One run through Prometric’s tutorial (moving between questions, flagging, the finish confirmation) means that on the day you think only about the questions.
Points from the MAFF implementation guidelines (checked 2026-09-03). The order is our suggestion and is no guarantee of a pass.
Frequently asked questions
Are there past papers or sample questions?
No. OTAFF publishes no sample questions for this exam (MAFF Q&A, August 2026). What is public is the scope (Appendix 3 of the guidelines) and the format: question counts, points and three options. Minna no Tokugi’s practice questions and mock exams are written by us from that public information; they are not the real questions.
Source: MAFF Q&A (checked 2026-09-03)
Is there furigana on the questions?
No. The exam is in Japanese and the kanji carry no furigana. That is one of the differences from the Tokutei Ginou 1 restaurant exam, which has furigana.
Source: OTAFF exam guide (checked 2026-08-24)
What is the pass mark? Is there a minimum per subject?
163 of 250 points (65%). It is judged on the combined academic and practical score, and there is no minimum per subject.
Source: OTAFF exam guide (checked 2026-08-24), MAFF implementation guidelines (checked 2026-09-03)
If I fail, when can I retake it?
Not for 45 full days after your attempt; from day 46 you can sit again. The fee is ¥14,000 including tax each time.
Source: OTAFF exam guide (checked 2026-08-24)
When do I get my result?
Not on the screen at the end. It appears on your Prometric MyPage within five business days.
Source: Prometric domestic exam flow (checked 2026-09-03)
If I pass, do I get Tokutei Ginou 2 status?
Not automatically. Passing is one requirement; the Japanese-language qualification is another. The status of residence and the certificate of eligibility are assessed separately by the Immigration Services Agency and are not guaranteed by a pass. For the procedure, ask an official office or a qualified professional such as a gyoseishoshi (administrative scrivener).
Source: OTAFF exam guide (checked 2026-08-24)
Where do I find the exam dates?
From fiscal year 2026 the exam in Japan has no fixed dates: you book a slot at a test centre within the year’s test window. The window, venues and how to apply are on the OTAFF exam guide and Prometric’s test page.
Source: OTAFF notice (checked 2026-09-03)
Is this page official?
No. Minna no Tokugi is an independent study app, not connected with OTAFF or any government office, and this page is our summary of official information. Every section names its source and the date we checked it. Where the official pages and this page differ, the official pages are right.
For what the app does and what it costs, see the Minna no Tokugi home page; for purchases, cancelling and your account, see Support.
Start preparing along the official scope today.
Minna no Tokugi has lessons in all four subjects, practice questions that explain every option, timed mock exams in the real 55-question, 70-minute format, and Toku, an AI tutor who explains in English. Free to download; the hygiene lessons and mock exam 1 are in the free plan.
Download on the App Store
Free to start · For iPhone