New JLTP guidelines

Finally they have released a study book the new JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) test. So far they have only released a book for level N1. I picked it up on the weekend. The book is 新試験対応 日本語能力試験予想問題集 N1 (しんしけんたいおう　にほんごのうりょくしけんよそうもんだいしゅう - The Handbook of Predicted Questions for the New Japanese Language Proficiency Test).

There is a good write-up in the start of the book on the new test, and how it differs from the previous test. The write-up is in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese.

Over the next week or two, I will sum up some of the points in this book. The main point I discovered however, was that my previous assumptions about the test were incorrect. I had read the official JLPT site and they said this (regarding N1):

Approximately the same passing level as the existing Level 1 test, but designed to enable slightly more advanced abilities to be measured as well.
source: www.jlpt.jp

I was under the impression that this meant the test would be approximately the same difficult as the old test. But upon reading the book, it appears that the test will be significantly harder. The content being tested is roughly the same, but the way they are testing it looks to be more difficult than the old test.

The benefit of this is that it (theoretically) makes the test a more accurate assessment of the participants ability. The disadvantage of this of course is that it's going to be harder to pass!

...which means I should probably get to studying.