IT Passport 2022 (Reiwa 4) Past Exam Trends & Frequently Tested Topics

Prerequisites for the Reiwa 4 Exam

The IPA's publicly released questions for Reiwa 4 (2022) consist of 100 questions. The exam format is the year-round CBT system. The passing criteria require a total score of 60% or higher, with a minimum of 30% in each category.

Distribution of Questions by Field (Reiwa 4)

Unusually for Reiwa 4, the distribution differs from other years, with 19 questions in Management and 46 in Technology. In other years (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025), the ratio is consistently 35:20:45.

Number of Questions by Keyword in Reiwa 4

Security had 7 questions, which is on par with other years. IoT had a high count of 6 questions, and Authentication had 4 questions, the most in the past five years. Project Management had 3 questions, and AI had 2 questions, the fewest in the past five years. Personal Information had 2 questions, while Encryption and Cloud each had only 1 question. RPA, Agile, and BCP had 0 questions.

Characteristics of Reiwa 4

IoT is an Increasing Trend

The number of IoT questions in Reiwa 4 was 6, a sharp increase from 1 question in Reiwa 3. Smart home appliances, industrial IoT, and LPWA are frequent topics. For study strategies, refer to the article on What is IoT.

Peak Year for Authentication Questions

In the authentication field, MFA, SSO, OAuth, and biometric authentication were tested, setting a record with 4 questions, the most in the past five years. This is thought to reflect the trend of strengthening authentication due to the expansion of remote work. As a study strategy, it is important to understand the difference between authentication and authorization.

AI Hit a Low (2 Questions)

AI had few questions, with 4 in Reiwa 3 and 2 in Reiwa 4, but the number has increased sharply since Reiwa 5. This is likely because it was a period before generative AI became widespread, resulting in fewer AI-related questions on the exam.

Diagram/Chart Questions: 6 Questions

The number of diagram/chart questions was 6, the highest in the past five years. This contrasts sharply with 0 questions in Reiwa 7. The questions primarily involved interpreting graphs and diagrams.

Top 5 Frequently Tested Topics in Reiwa 4

1. Security (7 questions) — Cyber attacks, encryption, authentication. It is helpful to study a summary of cyber attack types and the basics of encryption.
2. IoT (6 questions) — Components, communication standards. Please review What is IoT for study strategies.
3. Authentication (4 questions) — The most in the past five years. For study strategies, make sure to understand the difference between authentication and authorization.
4. Project Management (3 questions) — PMBOK, WBS, and Gantt charts are useful for study strategies.
5. Accounting & Business Strategy (approx. 10 questions) — Studying break-even points and SWOT, 3C, PEST will provide peace of mind.

Study Priority for Reiwa 4

Since Security, IoT, and Authentication together account for 17 questions, it is crucial to master these three areas. Note that the field distribution differs from other years, with 19 questions in Management and 46 in Technology. Also, since there are 6 diagram/chart questions, preparing for diagram-based questions is necessary.

Comparison with Past Years

Related Articles

For related articles, refer to Reiwa 5 Past Exam Trends & Frequently Tested Topics and Reiwa 6 Past Exam Trends & Frequently Tested Topics to understand the differences between years. It is also a good idea to check Reiwa 7 (2025) Past Exam Trends & Frequently Tested Topics and Summary of Exam Trends Over the Past 5 Years (2021-2025).

Summary

In Reiwa 4, IoT and Authentication were at high levels, while AI hit a low. There were a relatively high number of diagram/chart questions (6), and the field distribution was slightly different. All 100 questions from Reiwa 4 can be reviewed on the 2022r04 Past Exam Page. To test your skills in a real-exam format, use the Practice Exam.