• Japanese Keyboard Support for English Windows98

• What happened to the Japanese IME ?

• Some tips on Japanese keyboards for English WindowsME

• For all other Bilingual and Japanese Windows issues see the original Windows95 Notes.

• Email questions, comments, corrections to

For Windows98 to recognize the Japanese 106-keyboard (A01) layout:

0. Use exactly the same technique as for Windows95; the keyboard driver files from Japanese Windows98 can be downloaded from here:

   • \Windows\System\KBDJPA01.KBD [510B], (same as Win95 version).
     (If you have difficulties downloading this file with Netscape, right-click on it, and Save Link As...)
   • \Windows\JKEYB.SYS [22KB], (new Win98 version)
   • \Windows\JKEYBRD.SYS [2KB], (same as Win95 version)

   Note: When using Batch98 to create a Batch Setup Script for Windows98 installation, do not specify Japanese Keyboard Layout (Regional Settings); Japanese Keyboard Layout is not supported by Windows98 Setup (locale.inf) !

   Tip: When using Batch98 to create a Batch Setup Script for Windows98 installation, you can have registry file jkeyb.reg automatically loaded into the registry by specifying the file name in Batch98 Advanced Options.

   For more information on Batch98 and Windows98 Batch Setup Scripts see Batch98.doc.

Japanese IME with English Windows98

Although it was expected that the Japanese IME would be part of Windows98, there was no IME in it when it was delivered. But there are two ways of getting a working Japanese/Chinese/Korean IME under English Windows98:

1. Download the newest version of Internet Explorer 5.x version. The IME in this version works correctly.

2. There is a new IME version 5.0 available for Windows95/98 and IE40.
   You must re-install Japanese keyboard support after the IME installation if you use a Japanese keyboard (run jkeyb.reg).

3. If you need a working IME on Windows98 that supports applications outside of IE/OE, try the freeware J-Text front-end processor.

For WindowsME to recognize the Japanese 106-keyboard (A01) layout:

0. Use exactly the same technique as for Windows95; the keyboard driver files from Japanese Windows98 can be downloaded from here:

   • \Windows\System\KBDJPA01.KBD [510B], (same as Win95 version).
     (If you have difficulties downloading this file with Netscape, right-click on it, and Save Link As...)
   • \Windows\JKEYB.SYS [22KB], (Win98 version)
   • \Windows\JKEYBRD.SYS [2KB], (Win95 version)

   Note: There is a small difference in WindowsME when loading jkeyb.reg into the registry: click on Registry (on the registry) and click "Import Registry File"; the file would merge to the registry. (Thanks to Nanami Kamimura for that tip).

   Note: There is another difference in WindowsME: CONFIG.DOS and CONFIG.SYS are no longer used. Instead, start MSCONFIG (Start -> Run -> MSCONFIG), tab International. Enter "Keyboard Data File Name:" as jkeybrd.sys, and "Keyboard Type:" as 106 [OK]. You will have to reboot before the settings take effect.

 

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Acknowledgement: some of the tips in these pages have, in a different form, originally appeared in the Computing Japan magazine.

Disclaimer: although all these bilingual tips have been carefully tested, the author will not accept any responsibility for loss or damage resulting from the use of these information.