Japanese Students Sit College Admissions Tests Across Nation; Almost 500,000 Examinees Registered

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:32 JST, January 17, 2026

Students taking the Common Test for University Admissions wait for the examination to begin in a hall at the University of Tokyo in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, on Saturday morning. A total of 496,237 people applied for the exam, which will be held across the nation on Saturday and Sunday, with 813 universities and other educational institutions planning to use the results in their admission processes. “I’ve done everything I can to prepare, so now I want to focus on giving it my all,” said a third-year female high school student.