MHLW Announces 112th National Pharmacist Examination to be Administered in February 2027

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced in the Official Gazette dated August 28, 2026, that the 112th National Pharmacist Examination will be administered over two days, on February 20 (Saturday) and 21 (Sunday), 2027. This announcement is based on the provisions of Article 12 of the Pharmacists Act (Act No. 146 of 1960) and was issued in the name of the Acting Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare and Minister of State, Hitoshi Kikawada.

The national examination is a mandatory qualification exam for obtaining a pharmacist license and is of direct concern to applicants, including those expected to graduate from pharmacy universities. The announcement collectively publicizes the examination dates, locations, subjects, eligibility, application procedures, examination fees, and the method of announcing results; students aspiring to become pharmacists must verify the application deadlines.

Examination Locations and Subjects

The examination will be conducted in 8 prefectures nationwide. The examination locations are in 9 places: Hokkaido, Miyagi, Tokyo, Ishikawa, Aichi, Osaka, Hiroshima, Tokushima, and Fukuoka. Examinees shall submit their documents to the temporary office managing the National Pharmacist Examination under their jurisdiction.

The examination subjects are divided into the Compulsory Question Examination and the General Question Examination, with the latter consisting of the Pharmaceutical Theory Question Examination and the Pharmaceutical Practice Question Examination. The scope of the questions is as follows:

• Compulsory Question Examination: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Hygiene, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutics, Pathophysiology/Drug Therapy, Laws/Systems/Ethics, Practice
• General Question Examination (Pharmaceutical Theory Question Examination): Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Hygiene, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutics, Pathophysiology/Drug Therapy, Laws/Systems/Ethics, Practice
• General Question Examination (Pharmaceutical Practice Question Examination): Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Hygiene, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutics, Pathophysiology/Drug Therapy, Laws/Systems/Ethics, Practice

Eligibility and Procedures

Eligibility for the examination is determined based on Article 15 of the Pharmacists Act. Category 1 applies to those who have completed and graduated from a six-year pharmacy course at a university based on the School Education Act (including those expected to graduate by March 15, 2027). Category 2 applies to those who have graduated from a foreign pharmacy school or hold a foreign pharmacist license and are certified by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare as possessing equivalent or superior academic ability and skills.

The application period for examination documents is from Monday, January 4, to Thursday, January 14, 2027. In the case of mailing, only those with a postmark by January 14 will be accepted. Examination vouchers will be delivered by mail; if they do not arrive by Friday, February 12, 2027, applicants are instructed to contact the administration headquarters office.

Examination Fees and Announcement of Results

The examination fee is 6,800 yen, payable by attaching revenue stamps to the application form. Revenue stamps must not be cancelled, and returns after the documents have been accepted or changes to the examination location are not permitted.

• Examination Fee: 6,800 yen (to be paid via revenue stamps)
• Announcement of Results: Thursday, March 25, 2027, at 2:00 PM. The examination location and examinee number will be posted on the Qualifications/Examination Information page of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare website, and certificates of passing will be mailed to successful candidates.
• Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities: Persons with visual, auditory, vocal, or language impairments must submit an application for accommodations by mail by Monday, November 30, 2026.

Contact Information

The window for procedures and inquiries is the Pharmacist National Examination Steering Headquarters Office (TFT Building East Tower 7F, 3-6-11 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo; Tel: 03-5579-6903). Temporary offices operated by Randstad branches will be established at each examination site.

The Pharmacist National Examination is the final hurdle for obtaining a pharmacist license; for pharmacy students and pharmacist aspirants, adhering to the application deadline is critical to their success. Students expected to graduate in March 2027 must be careful not to miss the application period in January, including the submission of certificates via their enrolled university.

Source: Official Gazette (Kanpō), dated August 28, 2026, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Public Notice “Implementation of the 112th Pharmacist National Examination” (Document Nos. 20260828h017780007, 20260828h017780008)