Nearly 590,000 university applicants on Saturday began sitting two-day national entrance exams across the country.
The applicants are seeking places at a total of 543 universities -- all public universities as well as more than 70 percent of private institutions in Japan -- that are participating in the tests, conducted by the National Center for University Entrance Examinations.
The number of people taking the tests dropped 2.6 percent from last year's record high to 587,350, the first decline in five years, due to fewer high school seniors graduating.
Of the total, 72.7 percent are high school seniors, while 26.1 percent are high school graduates. Other applicants include those finishing non-Japanese schools in Japan and high schools abroad.
Junior colleges are using the National Center's examinations for the first time for the upcoming academic year, which begins April 1.
The exams are being held at 720 locations across the country. Examinees sit tests for categories designated by the schools they wish to enter from a total of 32 categories in six subjects.
The first day's tests covered foreign languages, geography, history and natural science, while the second day will deal with Japanese, mathematics and civics, according to the center.
