Windows 10: Switching IME option from English to Japanese freezes applications.

I have Japanese installed on my Windows 10. Only recently have this issue started. I did not install any new programs that will affect keyboard inputs. The I have changed a PC hardware, the GPU, but I doubt that it is causing the issue.The issue:When switching from English to Japanese Alt+` with the Microsoft IME, it will freeze applications such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Discord.For the browsers, I am unable to do anything such as open new tabs, and type into text boxes. The browser becomes unresponsive for a few seconds. When it becomes responsive again I will be able to type

:)

 

Switching Japanese Windows with English menus

Yes, I do mean those keys. I tried just switching to Japanese keyboard, as you suggested, but those keys didn't work. Also, the selection key is normally the spacebar in Japan but I could only get IME to work with the Tab key (for those who aren't familiar with Japanese typing: you type in Roman characters, then press a selection key and it steps you through a list of options for the word you are typing in Japanese characters). Did you get the special keys to work as they do in native Japanese mode?

It may well be that I was missing something, although I did try every option I could think of. In any event, as I said, I gave in and now have Japanese Windows running with English menus and everything seems to be working perfectly.
Thanks,

Mike

 

Japanese IME - How to have menus in English?

The default display language for the Microsoft IME is "Automatic", and occasionally it decides for whatever reason to change from English to Japanese or vice versa.
At any rate, you can correct the issue without removing any language packs via the following steps. I'm going to assume that your Windows display language is in English, but your IME is set to display in Japanese.

1. Navigate thus: Control Panel -> Region & Language -> Keyboards &
   Languages -> Change Keyboards
   
2. Highlight "Microsoft IME" under the Japanese (Japan) keyboard section of the "Installed services" list
   
3. Select "Properties"
   
4. Under the ""全股" tab, you will see an option at the bottom "メニューおよびダイアログで使用する言語" which is the IME display language option. Change this to "英語" (English) and save your changes (the buttons are in the same order as they are in the English UI, "Okay", "Cancel", "Apply", and "Help".
   

The next time you reopen the IME in the language bar, it should display in English.

 

Programs freeze up when I try to input using Japanese IME

I am having a more serious Japanese IME issue recently. Using chrome(web whatsapp mostly), the PC may freeze, or even BSOD when I switch IME Not sure if it is Japanese or the other IME. I have been using Google Japanese IME for years but I found that I am using MS Japanese IME when I checked. I have English, Chinese and Japanese IME installed. I have removed MS Japanese IME and switched to Google and see if it fixes the issue.