Japaneses IME in hiragana by default

Please, Microsoft, please, I am begging and pleading with you, please fix this! It is hard to convey just how frustrating this is. A small portion of my remaining sanity leaves me every day because of this issue. Any kind of fix would be gratefully received. Please!

Hi Welcome to Microsoft community.I understand your frustration with the Japanese IME defaulting to romaji instead of hiragana, particularly when switching applications or focus within applications. This has indeed been a long-standing concern for many users. Here are some potential solutions or workarounds based on information available:

1. IME Settings Adjustment:
   • Go to Control Panel > Language > Advanced settings. Look for "Override for default input method" and ensure that Japanese - Microsoft IME is selected. However, this might not solve the per-app switching issue.
2. Keyboard Shortcut:
   • Use Alt + (backtick) to quickly switch to hiragana mode. While not a permanent fix, it's a quick workaround.
3. IME Properties:
   • Right-click on the IME icon in the taskbar, go to "Properties", then under the "General" tab, check if you can set "Default input mode" to Hiragana. Note that this might not persist across applications or after rebooting.
4. Per Application Settings:
   • Some users have found success by removing all other keyboard layouts except Japanese IME. This can be done in Settings > Time & language > Language > Options for the Japanese language pack. Uncheck "Let me set a different input method for each app window" if it's checked.
5. Third-Party Solutions:
   • Consider using Google Japanese Input instead of Microsoft IME. Google's version might offer better memory of the last used input mode per application. You can download it from Google's website.
6. Registry Edit (Advanced):
   • There have been suggestions to modify registry settings to enforce hiragana as the default, though this should be done with caution:
     • Open regedit and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Keyboard Layout\Preload. Here, you might find entries related to your keyboard layout. Changing or adding values here can affect the default behavior, but incorrect changes can lead to system issues.
     • Disclaimer: Generally, modifying registry subkeys or work group is intended for advanced users, administrators, and IT Professionals. It can help fix some problems, however, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For further protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click How to back up and restore the registry in Windows - Microsoft Support to view the article.
7. AutoHotkey Script:
   • Some users have created AutoHotkey scripts that automatically switch the IME to hiragana when activating the Japanese keyboard. This involves setting up AutoHotkey and running a script like one found on forums dedicated to Japanese language learners.
8. Feedback:
   • You've probably already done this, but continuing to provide feedback through Microsoft's Feedback Hub under Windows > Typing > Japanese IME might help in pushing for a definitive fix in future updates.

These solutions might not work uniformly across all Windows versions or setups, and each has its limitations. If none of these solutions work, you might want to consider contacting Microsoft Support directly for more personalized assistance or to further report the issue.The persistence of this issue over a decade indicates either a complex problem or that it might not affect enough users to prioritize a fix in the eyes of Microsoft's developers. However, user feedback can lead to changes in future updates.Best regardsDerrick Qian | Microsoft Community Support Specialist