Real Estate Transaction Specialist Exam

The Real Estate Transaction Specialist Exam (宅地建物取引士試験, takuchibusoku torihiki shiken) in Japan tests your knowledge and skills for mediating real estate transactions. Here's a breakdown of the syllabus and pattern:

⚫ Exam Organizer: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
⚫ Eligibility: Anyone over 20 years old (no nationality restrictions)
⚫ Exam Format: Multiple-choice questions (4 choices)
⚫ Exam Duration: 180 minutes (3 hours)
⚫ Number of Questions: 100
⚫ Passing Score: 60% or higher
⚫ Exam Frequency: Twice a year (usually June and December)

Syllabus:

The exam covers five main areas:

Real Estate Laws and Regulations (40%):
⚫ Civil Law (property rights, contracts, etc.)
⚫ Land and Building Transaction Law
⚫ National Tax for Land and Buildings
⚫ Regional Planning Law
⚫ Building Standards Law

Real Estate Transactions (30%):
⚫ Mediation process and procedures
⚫ Contract drafting and interpretation
Dispute resolution

Real Estate Appraisal (15%):
⚫ Valuation methods (market approach, income approach, cost approach)
⚫ Factors affecting property value
⚫ Appraisal reports

Real Estate Market and Finance (10%):
⚫ Real estate market trends and analysis
⚫ Real estate financing options
⚫ Taxation and accounting related to real estate transactions

Ethics and Professional Conduct (5%):
⚫ Professional ethics for real estate transaction specialists
⚫ Consumer protection laws and regulations

Pattern:
⚫ Each question carries equal marks.
⚫ There is no negative marking.
⚫ Some questions may have multiple correct answers, but you need to choose the most appropriate one.
⚫ The exam may also include case studies or scenario-based questions.

Resources:
⚫ Official website of the Real Estate Transaction Specialist Exam (in Japanese): https://www.mlit.go.jp/
⚫ Study guides and practice tests (available in Japanese):
⚫ 宅建ジャーナル (Takuken Journal)
⚫ 宅建士テキスト (Takuchishi Textbook)
⚫ 宅建試験ドットコム (Takuken Shiken Dot Com)

Additional Notes:
⚫ The exam is in Japanese only.
⚫ There are various preparatory schools and online courses available in Japan to help you pass the exam.
⚫ The passing rate for the exam is around 40%.