| Sumario: | The current study examines the difficulties encountered by Japanese language educators regarding the application of evaluation procedures within Indonesia's Merdeka Curriculum. It sought to address the deficiency in research about foreign language assessments by thoroughly examining the knowledge, experiences, perceived challenges, and requisite support for teachers in relation to their utilization of assessments. The study employed a cross-sectional survey, garnering responses from 90 Japanese language educators to a meticulously crafted and tested Likert-scale questionnaire. This tool was made to obtain detailed information on Japanese teachers' skills and problems with how they assess students. The research indicates that teachers’ fundamental skills and knowledge surrounding assessment are inadequate; specifically, the teachers encountered the most difficulty with their conceptualization of the nature of assessment, creating meaningful rubrics, identifying assessment resources, utilizing their time, and using new digital assessment tools as relates to assessing productive skills (i.e., speaking and writing). The study clearly underlines that there is a need for continuous professional development programs offered, guidelines around assessment, collaborative group learning communities, and technical support to update the teachers with the current practical use of assessments. The study underscores the importance of targeted interventions, such as specialised professional development and more effective resource allocation, supported by flexible policy revisions to provide smoother assessment implementation. Moreover, the study sheds light on the intricate interplay between Japanese language teacher knowledge, institutional obstacles, and an important support system, providing actionable, and practical suggestions for policymakers, curriculum developers, and teacher educators committed to improving the quality of foreign language assessment practices.
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