[Fixed] Japanese keyboard IME not working on Windows 10

This issue can occur if the default input method is not se to Japanese Microsoft IME. In some instances, the issue can occur due to a glitch in the Windows keyboard setting or the language pack itself.

If you are also troubled by this issue, here are a few ways to fix the Japanese keyboard IME not working on Windows 10 issue.

How do I fix Japanese IME on Windows 10?

1. Set Japanese IME as default input method 

1. Click on Start and select Settings.
2. Click on Time and Language options.
3. Open the Language tab from the left pane.
4. Scroll down and click on Choose an Input method to always use as default.
5. Under override for the default input method, click the drop-down menu and select Japanese IME.
6. Click Save to apply the changes.

Reboot the computer and check if you can use Japanese IME as the default input method. Make sure that you have the Japanese IME language pack installed before trying to set it as a default input method in the settings.

Install the French language pack

If the issue persists, try installing the French language pack. This workaround is useful if you are unable to type a few Japanese characters when typing. Here’s how to do it.

1. Click on Start and select Settings.
2. Go to Time & Language.
3. Open the Language tab.
4. Click on Add a preferred language.
5. Search for the French language pack and install it on your computer.
6. Once installed, try typing in Japanese to see if the issue is resolved.

2. Run the keyboard troubleshooter

1. Click the Start button and select Settings.
2. Click on Update & Security.
3. Open the Troubleshoot tab from the left pane.
4. Scroll down and select Keyboard.
5. Click on the Run the Troubleshooter button.
6. Windows will scan the system for keyboard and input related issues and recommend fixes.
7. Follow on-screen instructions to apply the fixes.
8. Once done, close the troubleshooter.

To check if the issue is resolved, try typing in Japenese. If the issue persists, reboot your computer once and then try again.

3. Reinstall the Japanese language pack

1. Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Time & Language.
3. Click on the Language tab from the left pane.
4. Scroll down and select Japanese and then click Remove.
5. Confirm the action to remove the language by clicking on Yes/Uninstall.
6. Once removed, go back to the Language tab.
7. Click on Add a preferred language.
8. Search for Japanese and then proceed to install the language pack.
9. Once installed, reboot your computer.

Reinstalling the Japanese language pack seems to have fixed the issue for several users.

Make sure to remove the existing language pack before reinstalling Japanese IME.

The Japanese keyboard IME not working on Windows 10 issue can occur if the language pack is corrupted or due to incorrect input method configuration.

Follow all the steps in this article to fix the problem on your Windows 10 system.