Following the thirtieth anniversary of the first Japanese language word processor, inventors and power couple Kazunori and Hatsuko Ukigawa were featured in Forbes magazine Japan
It’s necessary for more people to be able to use computers. What is preventing this is the keyboard
Palo Alto, CA (PRWEB) January 29, 2015
An important milestone date has recently occurred in Japan with the thirtieth anniversary of the first Japanese word processing software called Ichitaro, the brainchild of MetaMoJi founders Kazunori and Hatsuko Ukigawa. Ichitaro was the only word processor that has consistently outsold Microsoft Office worldwide and it still remains one of the most popular. The anniversary prompted an in-depth interview with the Ukigawas in Forbes magazine in Japan.
When it comes to technology innovations the pioneering founders of MetaMoji have been front and center. Kazunori Ukigawa holds multiple patents for innovating Asian character input on computing and Hatsuko Ukigawa is founding member of the Unicode consortium laying the foundation of global multilingual computing for more than 30 years. Forbes magazine has begun a series of articles introducing pioneering technologists such as Mr. and Mrs. Ukigawa.
The couple took the opportunity to talk about how using handwriting technology will allow more freedom of expression and make it easier for more people to interact and learn. Kazunori said, “She (my wife, Hatsuko) often says that computers are still not user-friendly…Isn’t it possible to make computers a little bit more accessible? Isn’t it possible to make computers into something that anyone can use? This is what I’m always thinking about…It’s necessary for more people to be able to use computers. What is preventing this is the keyboard. The biggest obstacle for the Japanese is Japanese language input. If you install mazec, released by MetaMoJi in 2011, onto a tablet or other similar device, you can input Japanese without using a keyboard by writing characters directly on the screen with your finger.”
Mr. Ukigawa continued. “The foundation of my philosophy is the freedom of each and every person. I hope that people will become more free. I believe that freedom is not living on a path decided by someone else, but rather to live without regret, feeling that “I chose this,” having many choices. As for what choices are, fundamentally, they are information….Thanks to the Internet, there is more information than ever before, but I want more people to be able to use computers easily and for more people to be able to get information.”
MetaMoJi is the latest venture for the entrepreneuring couple. Their multiple award winning products include an entire suite of Mobile Productivity Solutions, including MetaMoJi Note, mazec (handwriting recognition), and MetaMoJi Share.
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