# Getting Japanese input keys to work on US computer

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-japanese-input-keys-to-work-on-us-computer/586580>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 23, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-japanese-input-keys-to-work-on-us-computer/586580 "2011-06-23T17:44:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-japanese-input-keys-to-work-on-us-computer/586580/1 "2011-06-23T17:44:22Z")

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I have a Sager running Win7. I’ve installed the Japanese and Microsoft IME keyboard, so I can switch between a US setup and a Japanese one. I have no problem typing kana/kanji. But I have a [Japanese](http://www.moglik.com/i/as/mu_teclado-japones.gif) USB keyboard that has input switching keys where the tilde is on a US keyboard, and also next to the spacebar.

These function on the Japanese computers to switch between kana and romaji input methods. While I can switch from US to Japanese, I can’t switch between hiragana and romaji or (really what I’m looking for) katakana with a keystroke. I have to click the icon at the bottom and choose katakana.

So can I get my computer to accept the foreign keys? Or alternatively, is there another way to do this with keystrokes that I haven’t thought of?

Yes, this is slightly (a lot) lazy. But I’m always excited about new shortcuts. You should’ve seen me when I discovered shift+tab.

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**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-japanese-input-keys-to-work-on-us-computer/586580/2 "2011-06-23T19:23:09Z")

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> [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](#):
>
> Or alternatively, is there another way to do this with keystrokes that I haven’t thought of?

[This](http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_programs/japanese-ime-hiragana-toggle-keys/3b2ffa3e-29ee-4d5a-b65b-dc67c9c869fc) might help?

Also, just to check: you know that F7 converts Japanese input into katakana? F6-F10 cover all the various input types, I believe.

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**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-japanese-input-keys-to-work-on-us-computer/586580/3 "2011-06-23T23:42:19Z")

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Hm, neither the F keys nor the ALT+CAPS is working on the J computer at work, but I’ll give it a shot on my laptop when I get home and see what’s up. Thanks for the suggestions.

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**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2011, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-japanese-input-keys-to-work-on-us-computer/586580/4 "2011-06-24T08:03:45Z")

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Just to clarify about the F keys thing, they don’t change your input method; they change text that you’ve typed. So if you’re inputting in hiragana and want a word in katakana you can type it in hiragana and then hit F7.

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**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-japanese-input-keys-to-work-on-us-computer/586580/5 "2011-06-27T02:18:23Z")

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ヒラガナ  
Thanks cckerberos, that’s exactly what I was looking for.