OL98: How to Use the Japanese Input Method Editor (257900)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 for Windows 98 SP 2
  • Microsoft Outlook 98
This article was previously published under Q257900

SUMMARY

To compose a message in Japanese, Outlook uses the Japanese Input Method Editor (IME) feature from Microsoft Internet Explorer. This article describes the installation of the language support components for Internet Explorer and the enabling of international language support in Outlook using this shared technology.

MORE INFORMATION

Installing the Global IME for Japanese

  1. Connect to the Internet.
  2. Click the Start button, and then click Windows Update.

    -or-

    Click the Start button, click Run, and then type the following Internet address in the Open box:http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

  3. Click the Product Updates link.
  4. If you see the prompt to install the Microsoft System Information component, click OK.
  5. From the list of Internet Explorer Components, click International Language Support, and then check the following components:
    • Japanese Language Support
    • Japanese Language Input Method Editor
  6. After selecting these components, click Download.
  7. Click Start Download. The Global IME files are downloaded and installed automatically.
  8. When the installation is complete, you must restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Using the Global IME with Outlook

To send a message in Japanese, the message must be in HTML format. This allows Outlook to use the Global IME. To enable HTML format for outgoing e-mail messages, follow these steps:
  1. Start Outlook.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  3. On the Mail Format tab, in the Send in this message format list, click HTML.

Composing a Message Using the Global IME for Japanese

To use the Global IME for Japanese to compose an e-mail message, follow these steps:
  1. In Outlook, open a new e-mail message.
  2. To begin entering Japanese characters, first place the cursor in the message body of the Outlook HTML email message.
  3. Using the Multilanguage menu represented by an "EN" icon located on the taskbar, click to select the Japanese IME keyboard layout by selecting the Japanese IME from list.
  4. Once the IME is selected, a floating toolbar should appear on the screen. The Japanese IME is selected but inactive (Off) at this point.
  5. Activate the IME by typing the keyboard combination "Alt" and "~" on the 101-key keyboard. Pressing "Alt" key in combination with "~" key a second time deactivates the IME. You can also toggle the state by clicking on the "pen" icon in the System Tray, and selecting the On/Off item in the pop-up menu.
While in the composition window you can select the specific Kanji for the word by hitting the Spacebar. Hitting the space bar twice will display a list of Kanji that have the same pronunciation. You can select a specific Kanji from the list by highlighting the appropriate Kanji, and hitting "Enter."

Additional Editing Information


Character Metrics in the IME

The input method defaults to Full-width Hiragana. You can choose another input method by clicking the left-most button on the floating IME toolbar. The input methods are listed from top to bottom as follows:
  • Full-width Hiragana
  • Full-width Katakana
  • Full-width Alphanumeric
  • Half-width Katakana
  • Half-width Alphanumeric
  • Direct

Phonetic Editing with the English Keyboard

To type Japanese characters using an English keyboard, each character must be entered phonetically. For example the Japanese character that sounds like "KA" would be typed in as "KA". In addition text entered in this manner is not a part of the message body until the <ENTER> key is pressed.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/20/2003
Keywords:kbhowto KB257900
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