Yamao Kanako: “N2 level Japanese generally required for applications from April”
Claim about what is already happening: According to Yamao Kanako, applications from April are generally being treated as needing proof of JLPT N2 level, with a high N3 score being accepted as well. She asserts this informal change in approval standards has already happened for applications from April. Notably, she did NOT state that this will be applied retroactively to people who already submitted their applications before April.
Prediction: Separately, she predicts that applicants will start to face a new handwritten written test with N2 questions but where applicants must write answers by hand rather than choose multiple-choice answers as on the officially administered JLPT. She gives no implementation date.
All of the above is from her YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/7rBzR0psE4Y?si=VXZcIKvYnVAceV4g
About Yamao Kanako: She is an Administrative scrivener specialized mainly in naturalization applications. She runs the YouTube channel 山尾加奈子 [帰化・永住 行政書士] and has written a book on applying for naturalization titled そこが知りたい！帰化申請Q＆A50, which was published last year.
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My thoughts:
I cannot personally verify the accuracy of the above claim (1) and prediction (2).
However, given that Yamao Kanako handles naturalization applications in practice, her report may reflect what applicants who submitted (officially turned in their application) since April are actually being asked for. That said, this is practice-based information rather than a clearly published statutory rule, so people should verify with their own Legal Affairs Bureau or professional adviser.
Furthermore, (2) is stated only as a prediction regarding what will likely happen, not an observation about what is already happening and should therefore be viewed with more skepticism than (1) IMHO
All that said, I get the sense it might be best for applicants to start studying N2 Japanese if they have time