This page summarizes information about the food service industry skills exam.For more details, please refer to the official page.
※As of September 1, 2026, the SSW (i) Food Service Evaluation Test is suspended in Japan and overseas, and no resumption date has been announced.
| Category | Content | Detailed Information |
|---|---|---|
| Current Status | At the instruction of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, tests and booking procedures in Japan and overseas are suspended until an instruction to resume is issued. The reason is that the projected number of accepted workers will exceed the 50,000-person cap for FY 2024–2028. | Notice of test suspension |
| Domestic | You cannot book at this time. After resumption, check the latest OTAFF and Prometric notices for dates and venues. | OTAFF test guide |
| Overseas | The overseas application route is on the Prometric side, but because the exam is suspended, always check the latest restart notice before applying. | Prometric Test Page |
※Because exams are currently suspended, no old country-specific schedule is posted. When they resume, prioritize the latest information from OTAFF and Prometric.
According to OTAFF, domestic applicants must be at least 17 on the test date, hold a valid status of residence, and have a qualifying passport (currently, any passport except an Iranian passport). Reconfirm eligibility when tests resume.
Your pass/fail result is displayed on the computer screen when the test ends.
You can download the test result notice from your OTAFF account within about 5 business days of the test date. No results are mailed.
| Exam Subjects |
Written Exam :30Questions Practical Exam :15Questions |
| Language | Japanese (with furigana for kanji) |
| Category |
1) Hygiene Management Main Content：Knowledge of general hygiene management, knowledge of HACCP, knowledge of food poisoning, etc. Written Exam：10Questions Practical Exam：5Questions（Judgment Test: 3 Questions; Planning Test: 2 Questions） 2) Food Preparation Main Content：Knowledge of cooking, knowledge of ingredients, knowledge of cooking equipment, etc. Written Exam：10Questions Practical Exam：5Questions（Judgment Test: 3 Questions; Planning Test: 2 Questions） 3) General Customer Service Main Content：Knowledge of customer service, knowledge of food diversity, knowledge of complaint handling, etc. Written Exam：10Questions Practical Exam：5Questions（Judgment Test: 3 Questions; Planning Test: 2 Questions） |
| Options | 3 Choices |
| Time | 70 minutes total for the written exam and practical exam |
| Passing Criteria | 200130 points or more out of the full score (65% or higher correct answer rate) |
| Test Method | CBT Method |
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries publishes official sample questions. Also check OTAFF's current test guide for the test structure.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries / OTAFF