Terms and Conditions

Agreement to Our Legal Terms

Please read these Terms and Conditions (“Terms”, “Agreement”) carefully before using the J-STANDARD platform (“Platform”, “Service”), operated by J-STANDARD (“Company”, “we”, “us”, or “our”). By accessing or using J-STANDARD, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to any part of these Terms, you must not use the Platform.

1. Scope of Services

J-STANDARD is an online e-learning platform designed to help learners study Japanese and prepare for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). The Platform provides structured courses, exercises, audio content, vocabulary tools, and progress tracking across the different JLPT levels. Important disclaimer: J-STANDARD is an independent educational platform. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to the Japan Educational Exchanges and Services (JEES) or the Japan Foundation, which administers the JLPT examinations. Completion of any course on J-STANDARD does not guarantee passing any JLPT examination.

2. Eligibility

To use J-STANDARD, you must:

• Be at least 10 years of age. Users under 18 must have parental or guardian consent.
• Provide accurate and complete registration information.
• Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract in your jurisdiction.
• Not be prohibited from using the Service under any applicable law.

3. Account Registration and Security

You must create an account to access the Platform. You agree to provide truthful, current, and complete information during registration, maintain the confidentiality of your login credentials, notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account, and accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account. Your J-STANDARD account is strictly personal and may only be used by the individual who registered it. You may not share your login credentials, grant access to your account to any third party, or allow another person to use your account in any way. Each person wishing to use J-STANDARD must create their own individual account and subscription.

4. Subscription Plans and Access

J-STANDARD offers Single-Level Access (grants access to one selected JLPT level) and Full Platform Access (grants access to all available JLPT levels). Subscriptions are offered on an annual basis beginning on the date of successful payment and renewing automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before renewal. You may upgrade from a single-level plan to full platform access at any time, with charges applied for the difference only.

5. Billing and Payment

All prices are displayed in the applicable currency and are inclusive or exclusive of taxes as indicated at checkout. Payment is due at the beginning of each subscription period. We accept major credit/debit cards and other payment methods listed on our checkout page. If payment fails, we will attempt to reprocess it; unsuccessful payment may result in access suspension. Prices may change with at least 30 days’ notice, and continued use constitutes acceptance of new pricing.

6. Cancellation and Refund Policy

You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings; cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. For refunds: Annual subscriptions may receive a full refund within 7 days of initial purchase if no more than 20% of course content has been accessed. For renewals, if you were not notified of the charge and contact us within 7 days, we will review and may issue a refund. Contact support@jstandard.jp with order details to request a refund.

7. Intellectual Property

All content available on J-STANDARD, including course materials, video lessons, audio recordings, exercises, quizzes, illustrations, database content, and underlying software, is exclusive property of J-STANDARD or its licensors and protected by copyright, trademark, and intellectual property laws. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use Platform content solely for personal, non-commercial educational purposes during the subscription period. You must not copy, reproduce, distribute, create derivative works, use automated tools to extract content, share credentials with others, or sell/resell access to the Platform.

8. User Conduct

By using J-STANDARD, you agree not to:

• Violate any applicable local, national, or international law or regulation.
• Transmit any content that is unlawful, offensive, defamatory, or infringing.
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Platform, its servers, or related systems.
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Platform.
• Upload or transmit viruses, malware, or any other harmful code.
• Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation.

Violation of these conduct rules may result in immediate account suspension or termination without refund.

9. Platform Availability and Modifications

J-STANDARD strives to provide continuous access but does not warrant uninterrupted or error-free operation. We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any feature or content at any time. Material changes will be notified with at least 14 days’ notice where practicable. If a significant portion of paid plan content is permanently removed, a prorated refund may be offered.

10. Third-Party Services and Links

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or integrate third-party tools (e.g., payment gateways, analytics services). J-STANDARD is not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or terms of any third-party services. Use of third-party services is at your own risk.

11. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

J-STANDARD provides educational content as a learning aid with no guarantee that use will result in passing any JLPT level or achieving specific language proficiency. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, J-STANDARD SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES. J-STANDARD’s total liability shall not exceed the total amount paid by you in the 12 months preceding the claim.

12. Termination

You may terminate by cancelling your subscription and deleting your account (termination does not entitle you to refund except as provided). J-STANDARD may suspend or terminate your account immediately if you breach these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, or if required by law. Sections 7, 11, 13, and 14 survive termination.

13. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with applicable law. If located in the European Union, mandatory consumer protection provisions of your country of residence may also apply. Nothing in these Terms limits consumer rights under the laws of your country of residence that cannot be waived by contract.

14. Dispute Resolution

In the event of a dispute, we encourage you to first contact support@jstandard.jp. If unresolved within 30 days, either party may pursue available legal remedies. Class action waivers may not be enforceable in all jurisdictions.

15. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be notified by email or prominent Platform notice at least 14 days before taking effect. Your continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance of revised Terms. If you do not agree, you must cancel your subscription and cease using the Platform.

16. Miscellaneous

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement. If any provision is unenforceable, remaining provisions remain in effect. Failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver. You may not assign your rights without our written consent; J-STANDARD may assign its rights freely. These Terms are provided in English; in case of conflict between translation and English version, English prevails.

• Entire Agreement: These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and J-STANDARD.
• Severability: If any provision is unenforceable, remaining provisions remain in effect.
• Waiver: Failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of future enforcement.
• Assignment: You may not assign your rights without our prior written consent.
• Language: English version prevails in case of translation conflicts.