Two-day unified entrance exams for universities and colleges began Saturday across Japan as examinees grappled with an English listening comprehension test for the first time.

But the day was marred as exam sites in 42 prefectures across the nation reported problems with the integrated circuit players used for the listening test, forcing at least 425 examinees to take it a second time.

There were 551,382 applicants, down 18,568 from last year, marking the third straight year of decline and reflecting the declining birthrate, according to the education ministry's National Center for University Entrance Examinations.

The English listening test was launched in a bid to boost the ability of Japanese to communicate in that language.

This year's exams are the first based on more eased curricula for elementary, junior high and high schools, which were launched in the 2002 academic year.

Snow fell in the Kanto and Tokai areas from early Saturday, prompting many exam takers in these regions to leave early to make sure potential transportation disruptions would not make them late.

"It's not the best weather for an examination, but I'll do my best and not lose to the snow," said 18-year-old Masako Koike from Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, as she headed to her exam venue at the University of Tokyo.

In Shonai, Yamagata Prefecture, the JR Uetsu Line resumed full operations Thursday after a fatal derailment last month.

Local high school student Satoshi Minagawa, 18, said he was relieved by the move, saying that without the train he would have needed another 20 minutes to get to his exam site.

There are 594 universities requiring their applicants to take the national exams -- 440 private institutions, 82 national and 72 local -- up 31 from the previous year. There are 133 two- or three-year colleges -- 120 private and 13 local -- an increase of 21.