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Home > Computing in Japanese > How to Write Japanese on Windows XP

If you study the Japanese language, you might at least once wonder how people read and write Japanese, using MS office. It's quite easy or, let's say, much easier than Windows 95 , 98, ME, since Windows XP includes Japanese fonts and platforms in its package.
In this document, you will learn step by step how to install Japanese fonts onto your Windows XP.

In case that you need a hard copy of this document to refer to at the installation, please click here for the printer-friendly version.
Are you at school? Then, copy this document or a printer-friendly copy of it (PDF format) onto a floppy disk or flash memory stick, and try the following procedure at home.

1.

Click Start at the bottom left, and click Control Panel.

2.

Click Date, Time, Language, and Regional Option.

3.

Click Add other languages. Alternatively, if you changed the control pannel to Classic View, go to Regional and Language Options and click the tab of Languages. (See the second image.)

4.

Click Install files for East Asian languages and click OK. Now, you see the pop-up window saying, "You choose to install the Chinese, Japanese and Korean language....etc, etc.". In short, if your computer has 270MB or more space available, click OK in that pop-up window. Download starts. Or, it may ask you to insert Windows XP CD-ROM. If so, follow the instruction and insert it, then click OK.

6.

After restarting the computer, you can read anything written in Japanese. Conglaturation! BUT it's not enough, because you have to write Japanese. Go again to Control Panel ---> Date, Time, Language, and Regional Option --->Regional and Language Options.

7.

This is an optional chapter for people who want to use any Japanese program (Otherwise, the menu of that program may be garbled.) If you don't intend to use Japanese programs, skip this chapter and go directly to chapter 9. Click Advanced.

8.

Go to the pull-down menu and choose Japanese. It does NOT affect English or any other language programs. You have to restart the computer again.

9.

Go to Regional and Language Options---> Languages. Make sure that the box of Install files for East Asian languages is checked and turned to grey. Click Details.

10.

See Installed services, and make sure that Both input systems (IME Standard 2002 and Natural Input 2002) are there. If not, click Add...and add them at the next window.

11.

If you open a browser or MS word that use Japanese language, you will see Language bar somewhere on your display. Otherwise, Windows XP thinks that you don't need to change the language....!.

12.

Put it to the corner where it doesn't disturb your display, for example, at upper right side (you may see and change the language anytime). Conglatulation! You can now read and write Japanese and even use the Japanese version of any program on your computer.

Wait a second......but how can I write Japanese on the computer? ---------->> Then, go to Sue Sensei's How to write Japanese E-mail！
Oh, where is my language bar? I can't find it! ---------->> No problem. You find how to regain it here.

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