2-Day Unified Univ. Entrance Exams Begin in Japan

Tokyo, Jan. 18 (Jiji Press)--Japan's two-day unified university entrance examinations started Saturday at 651 venues across the country, with the number of applicants increasing by about 3,200 from the previous year to some 495,100.

The exams on geography and history, civics, and Japanese and foreign languages were held on the first day, and the science, math and informatics exams will take place Sunday.

The informatics exam, which asks test-takers questions about programming and other items, is set to be conducted for the first time, following a revision of the country's school curriculum guidelines.

The unified exams were restructured into 21 courses in seven subjects from 30 courses in six subjects this time.

According to the National Center for University Entrance Examinations, there was an instruction error during the exams on geography and history, and civics in the morning at a venue in Shiga Prefecture, western Japan, making 85 applicants subject to a retest.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]