IT Passport Past Exam Trends and Frequent Topics for 2023 (Reiwa 5)

Prerequisites for the Reiwa 5 Exam

The IPA's publicly released questions for Reiwa 5 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 at least 30% in each category. Below is a summary of the results from analyzing the 100-sample IPA public questions by field and keyword.

Distribution of Questions by Field (Reiwa 5)

Since Reiwa 3, the 35:20:45 ratio has been completely fixed, and the same ratio applies to Reiwa 7 and Reiwa 6. For the most recent analysis, please also check Reiwa 7 and Reiwa 6.

Number of Questions by Keyword in Reiwa 5

Security had 11 questions, the highest number in the past five years. AI had 7 questions, tying with Reiwa 7 for the most, and IoT also had 7 questions, the highest from Heisei 3 to Reiwa 5. Project management had 3 questions, on par with previous years, and authentication also had 3 questions, with problems related to MFA and SSO. Encryption, cloud, personal information, and RPA each had 1 question. On the other hand, Agile and BCP had 0 questions.

Characteristics of Reiwa 5

Security at a 5-Year High

The 11 security questions are the highest from Reiwa 3 to Reiwa 7. It is believed that the increase in questions reflects the growing sophistication of cyberattack methods during this period. The content focused on types of malware, encryption, and authentication methods.

AI and IoT Both at High Levels

In Reiwa 5, AI had 7 questions and IoT had 7 questions, totaling 14 questions. Combined problems like "IoT leveraging AI" are also increasing. For preparation, the pages on AI and Machine Learning Basics and What is IoT are helpful.

Diagram Questions: 2 Questions

There were 2 diagram questions, the same level as the 2 questions in Reiwa 3. The trend of text-centered questions remains unchanged.

Agile-Related Questions: 0

In Reiwa 5, there were no standalone questions about Agile. Since Reiwa 7 had 1 question, it can be said that there is variation by year.

Top 5 Frequent Topics in Reiwa 5

First is security with 11 questions, the most in the past five years. For preparation, be sure to cover Types of Cyber Attacks Summary, Encryption Basics, Difference Between Authentication and Authorization, and Firewall, WAF, IDS/IPS. Second is AI with 7 questions, centered on machine learning and generative AI. To prepare, study AI and Machine Learning Basics. Third is IoT with 7 questions, covering LPWA and edge computing. The page on What is IoT is a useful reference. Fourth are project management and authentication, each with 3 questions. For project management, PMBOK, WBS, Gantt Charts can help, and for authentication, Difference Between Authentication and Authorization is useful. Fifth is accounting and business strategy, with around 10 questions. Understanding Break-Even Point and SWOT, 3C, PEST is necessary.

Study Priority for Reiwa 5

Since 25 questions come from the three fields of security, AI, and IoT, mastering these areas will bring you significantly closer to passing. For the Management field, it is good to focus on project management and SLA. For the Strategy field, completing your understanding of business strategy frameworks is important.

Comparison with Reiwa 7 and Reiwa 6

Summary

In Reiwa 5, the three major Technology topics of security, AI, and IoT were at high levels. For a comparison with Reiwa 7, please see Reiwa 7 (2025) Past Exam Trends and Frequent Topics. Trends over the past five years can be checked in Summary of Past 5 Years (2021-2025) Question Trends. All 100 questions from Reiwa 5 can be reviewed on the 2023r05 Past Exam Page. To test your skills in a real-exam format, use the Practice Exam.