Operating System - English or Japanese

Needless to say, the majority of foreigners in Japan will opt for the English version (or the version of their home country) rather than the Japanese version. Although that is not always the case - Some people will see the Japanese OS as just another learning tool for their language studies, another set of kanji to be mastered. But for those who don't have the time or inclination to go through all of that, sticking with English is the obvious choice.

The Ultimate Choice

It is unfortunate that Windows does not share the features of either MacOSX or Linux, in which you can simply change the entire Operating System from one language to another. The only version of Windows that is capable of that is Window 7 Ultimate (of course, the most expensive version) - with the Language Pack being available as an optional Update Package. With it, you can freely change the entire interface between English and Japanese. If the PC you wish to buy does not come with Windows 7 Ultimate, however, then you're stuck with the language you purchase.

The Browser Work-around

Depending on how you use a PC though, it is sometimes possible to get away with the OS being in another language (ie. Japanese). For example, if you spend most, or all of your time in a web-browser, say Chrome or Firefox, you can set the browser language to English, and not really worry about what the rest of the Operating System is doing.

Remembering Where Things Are - Working with the 日本語版

Also, for those users out there who are very familiar with Windows (particularly Windows 7), if you know where most of the menu headings are on the English version, they will all be in exactly the same position on the Japanese version.

Not counting the "Programs" list on the left-hand side, all of the other folder lists (Documents, Pictures, Music, Games, Computer, etc.), buttons (Shutdown), and drop-down menus (Switch user, Log off, Lock, Restart, Sleep, etc.) are in the exact same location.

Windows 8

The latest and greatest from Microsoft - Despite having even more technology put into its development, it doesn't allow for language switching of the Operating System (at least not between Japanese and English). You will have to choose before you purchase, just like Windows 7 Home Premium & Professional.


Your Choice

It really comes down to personal choice - If you want to use the Japanese version in order to study, or if you do nearly everything in a browser, you will have a much wider range of options available.

If however, you want to use the English version of whichever Operating System you'll be using, I would recommend buying it before you get here. You can buy English versions of Windows in Japan, but they are generally much more expensive - Occasionally though, you might be lucky enough to find a copy on Yahoo Japan Auctions (the equivalent of "ebay", over here) at a decent price. If you are already in Japan, then ebay will be your best choice - Just make sure the seller is willing to ship to Japan first.