Editing Ichitaro (word processor)

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Ichitaro
| screenshot = Ichitaro 2006 screenshot.jpg
| screenshot size = 250px
| developer = [[JustSystems]]
| latest_release_version = Ichitaro 2025 (35.0)
| latest_release_date = 7 February 2025
| operating_system = [[Microsoft Windows]]
| genre = [[Word processor]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]
| website = {{URL|http://www.ichitaro.com}}
}}
{{nihongo|'''Ichitaro'''|一太郎|ichitarō}} is a Japanese [[word processor]] produced by [[JustSystems]], a Japanese software company. Ichitaro occupies the second share in Japanese word-processing software, behind [[Microsoft Word]]. It is one of the main products of the company. Its proprietary file extension is ".JTD". [[ATOK]], an [[Input method editor|IME]] developed by JustSystems, is bundled with Ichitaro.

In the [[DOS]] era, Ichitaro had a considerable market share along with other rivals. However, as [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] became dominant, the market was largely taken over by [[Microsoft Word]].<ref>''[[Yomiuri Shimbun|The Yomiuri Shimbun]]'', pp.9 Tokyo morning edition, 8 April 1998.</ref>

== Origin of name ==
"{{Nihongo|Taro|太郎}}" was named by {{Nihongo|Kazunori Ukigawa|浮川 和宣}}, a founder of JustSystems. When he worked part-time as a tutor, one of his learners' names was Taro. He died of sickness when Kazunori worked at the company. [[Tarō (given name)|Taro]] is also a common Japanese given name used for the eldest son.<ref name="ichitaro_hist">{{Cite book|title=蘇るPC-9801伝説 永久保存版 第1弾|publisher=[[ASCII Corporation|ASCII]]|year=2004|isbn=4-7561-4419-5|pages=87–92|language=ja|chapter=「一太郎」が知っているPC-9801シリーズの軌跡}}</ref> [[Sanyo|Sanyo Electric]] already had a trademark right of the name,<ref>{{Cite book|title=パソコン革命の旗手たち|last=関口|first=和一|publisher=[[Nihon Keizai Shimbun]]|isbn=4-532-16331-5|publication-date=2000-03-06|pages=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9784532163310/page/118 118-123]|chapter="一太郎の産声"|year=2000|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9784532163310/page/118}}</ref> so JustSystems added a prefix "{{Nihongo|[[wikt:ichiban|Ichi]]|一}}" as they hoped the software won the best.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ichitaro.com/history/tw01.html|title=一太郎Web：一太郎ヒストリー 一太郎|date=2010-09-01|website=一太郎Web|publisher=JustSystems|access-date=2019-03-31}}</ref>

==History==

=== Beginnings ===
JustSystems was founded in July 1979 by {{Nihongo|Hatsuko|初子}} and Kazunori Ukigawa, and was incorporated in June 1981. Kazunori worked at a subsidiary company of [[Toshiba]], and he was interested in Japanese-language computing. Toshiba released {{Ill|JW-10|ja}} in February 1979, the first word processor for the Japanese language, but it sold less than their business computers. He founded the company as a dealer of business computers, and they started selling Japanese language software. After the release of [[PC-8800 series|PC-8801]], they developed an invoicing software for it, which printed out estimations and invoices in Japanese. They demonstrated it at trade fairs, and received a positive response.<ref name="ichitaro_hist" />

When they contacted to [[ASCII Microsoft]] about a run-time license fee of the [[BASIC]] [[compiler]] used for their farm management software, ASCII had known JustSystem's Japanese software, so they asked JustSystems to develop a Japanese word processor software for [[NEC PC-100|PC-100]]. It was released as JS-WORD in 1983. It was followed by JS-WORD 2.0 ported for [[PC-9800 series|PC-9801]]. Both were published by ASCII under their name. JS-WORD featured mouse support and a graphical icon-based interface, but it resulted in poor performance.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=国友|first=正彦|year=1989|title=最新日本語入力FP対決 ATOK 7 VS VJE-β Ver.2.1|journal=[[ASCII (magazine)|ASCII]]|language=ja|volume=13|issue=9|pages=249–256|issn=0386-5428}}</ref> The jX-WORD for the [[IBM JX]] was released and in 1985, jX-WORD Taro was released for PC-9801. jX-WORD Taro was priced at ¥58,000, which was the middle price among Japanese word processor software, and sold 9,700 copies.<ref name="ichitaro_hist" /><ref name="monthlymicom_199202">{{Cite journal|year=1992|title=一太郎累計出荷本数|journal=マイコン|publisher=電波新聞社|volume=16|issue=2|pages=159|issn=0387-9593}}</ref>

=== Domination in Japan PC market ===
[[File:Ichitaro 3.jpg|thumb|Ichitaro Ver.3 for [[PC-9800 series|PC-98]]]]
 
The same year, Ichitaro was released as its definite successor. Ichitaro's system disk contained [[ATOK]] 4 and a runtime version of [[MS-DOS]] 2.11. It allowed users to use other MS-DOS applications with Japanese language support.<ref name="monthlymicom_199202" /> The biggest competitor, {{Nihongo|Matsu|松}}, was released in 1983 by {{Nihongo|Kanri Kōgaku Kenkyūjo|管理工学研究所}}. It gained speed from being written in [[assembly language]] and natively ran on PC-9801, but Matsu's Japanese input method couldn't be used for other applications. Ichitaro had plenty of typesettings options, but Matsu did not. Also, Matsu was priced at ¥128,000 before Ichitaro came out.<ref name="katakai_1988">{{Cite book|title=パソコン驚異の10年史―その誕生から近未来まで|last1=片貝|first1=孝夫|last2=平川|first2=敬子|publisher=[[Kodansha]]|year=1988|isbn=4-06-132721-6|pages=55–85|language=ja|chapter=日本語ワードプロセッサの歴史}}</ref>

The first version of Ichitaro has shipped 29,000 copies. Ichitaro Ver.2 has shipped 80,000 copies. Ichitaro Ver.3 was the first version ported for other Japanese DOS platforms. It has shipped more than 300,000 copies until 1991. Total shipments of Ichitaro reached one million in November 1991.<ref name="monthlymicom_199202" /> Contrary to the Japanese personal computer market expanding into beginners, Matsu oriented for power users, so Ichitaro overtook it.<ref name="katakai_1988" />

Ichitaro Ver.4 was released in April 1989. It had a proprietary [[operating environment]] called {{Nihongo|Just Window|ジャストウィンドウ}}, like [[Lotus Symphony (MS-DOS)|Lotus Symphony]]. Three minor versions were released because it was buggy. The stable version was 4.3 released in December 1989.<ref name="ichitaro_hist" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ichitaro.com/history/tw04.html|title=一太郎Web：一太郎ヒストリー 一太郎Ver.４|date=2010-09-01|website=一太郎Web|publisher=JustSystems|access-date=2019-03-31}}</ref> ATOK 7 was bundled with Ichitaro 4, and was available as a standalone product in 1992.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.justsystem.co.jp/atok/story/index.html|title=先進の日本語システム「ATOK」の進化|date=1998-10-23|publisher=JustSystems|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990202014635/http://www.justsystem.co.jp/atok/story/index.html|archive-date=2 February 1999|access-date=2019-04-22|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Arrival of Microsoft Word ===
Microsoft released the first Japanese version of [[Microsoft Word]] for Windows in 1991. Four years passed before Ichitaro 5 was released for Japanese DOS platforms in April 1993. The next month, Microsoft released the Japanese [[Windows 3.1]] and the first Japanese version of [[Microsoft Office]], which included Word 5.0 and [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]] 4.0.<ref>{{Cite news|title=マイクロソフト、ウィンドウズ3.1対応ソフト―パッケージを投入|date=1993-06-17|work=[[Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun]]|page=6}}</ref> Its successors shipped 200,000 copies per month in late 1994.<ref>{{Cite news|title=マイクロソフト、「オフィス」「ワード」増産―倍の月20万本に。|date=1994-10-18|work=[[Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun]]|page=6}}</ref> JustSystems barely completed a Windows adaptation of Ichitaro in December 1993,<ref>{{Cite journal|year=1993|title=ジャストシステムが日本語Ｗｉｎｄｏｗｓ３．１用の一太郎を発表|journal=[[ASCII (magazine)|ASCII]]|volume=17|issue=11|issn=0386-5428}}</ref> but Microsoft took over the market dominated by Ichitaro and [[Lotus 1-2-3]].

{{bar box
|float=right
|title=Which do you use, Ichitaro or Microsoft Word, 1997
|titlebar=#DDD
|width=350px
|barwidth=250px 	
|bars={{bar percent|[[Microsoft Word]]|Blue|64|64%}}
{{bar percent|'''Ichitaro'''|Red|35|35%}}
{{bar gap|height=5}}
|caption=The result of questionnaires, Impress PC Watch<ref name="impress_19970326" />
}}

As of 1997, a Japanese media website reported that 64% of readers using Microsoft Word, and the main reason was that they used it in offices and schools. The rest of 35% were using Ichitaro, and the main reason was that the IME of ATOK was convenient.<ref name="impress_19970326">{{Cite web|url=https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/970326/result.htm|title=プレゼント付き読者アンケート第16回「対決！？一太郎 VS Microsoft Word」集計結果発表|date=1997-03-26|website=Impress PC Watch|access-date=2019-04-24}}</ref>

In 1998, the [[Fair Trade Commission (Japan)|Japan Fair Trade Commission]] informed Microsoft of an [[Anti-competitive practices|unfair trade]] that they forced personal computer manufacturers to bundle with Excel and Word against the request of a bundle with Excel and Ichitaro.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/981124/koutori.htm|title=公正取引委員会、マイクロソフトへの勧告内容をPDFファイルで公開|date=1998-11-24|website=Impress PC watch|access-date=2019-03-31}}</ref>

Ichitaro Ver.5 was ported to the [[Apple Macintosh|Macintosh]] and to [[OS/2]]. In May 2003, the release of a [[Linux]] version was announced. Compact versions, "Ichitaro dash" and "Ichitaro lite" are produced for [[laptop PC]]s. As [[office suite]], "Just home" is also available. "Ichitaro smile" is targeted at elementary school students and "Ichitaro jump" at middle and high school students.

On 1 February 2005, sales and production of the software were frozen pending an appeal by the company against a ruling of the [[Tokyo District Court]] which states that there is a [[Patent infringement|breach of a patent]] owned by [[Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.]]<ref>''The Yomiuri Shimbun'', pp.1 Tokyo morning edition, 2 February 2005.</ref> However, on 30 September 2005, [[Intellectual Property High Court|Intellectual Property High Court of Japan]], which was newly formed in April 2005, has granted JustSystems’ appeal. Because this judgement became a final decision in October 2005, the original decision sentenced by the Tokyo District Court was overturned.<ref>The decision of case 2005 (Ne) 10040, Intellectual Property High Court of Japan - 30 September 2005</ref>

In 2009, JustSystems became a subsidiary company of [[Keyence]]. In the 2010s, they focus on [[correspondence education]] and [[enterprise software]] although Ichitaro and ATOK continue to be developed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/160652|title=あのジャストシステムが大変貌を遂げていた―今や収益柱は｢一太郎｣｢ATOK｣ではない|last=島|first=大輔|date=2017-03-05|website=[[Toyo Keizai]]|access-date=2019-03-31}}</ref>

==Versions==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Version !! Release Date !! Notes
|-
| JS-WORD || October 1983 || For [[PC-100]], published by [[ASCII Corporation|ASCII]] under their name
|-
|JS-WORD 2.0
|May 1984
|For [[PC-9800 series]], published by ASCII
|- 
| jX-WORD || December 1984 || For [[IBM JX]] series
|- 
| jX-WORD Taro || February 1985 || For PC-9800 series
|- 
| 1 || 28 August 1985 || Allow the use of [[ATOK]] from other applications
|- 
| 2 || May 1986 ||
|- 
| 3 || June 1987 ||No disk [[copy protection]] from this version<ref name="monthlymicom_199202" />
|- 
| 4 || April 1989 ||Three minor versions exist, 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3<ref name=":0" />
|- 
| 5 || April 1993 || [[Mac (computer)|Mac]] version released in July 1995
|- 
| 6 || January 1995 || Version 6.3 (August 1995) included internet connectivity
|- 
| 7 || September 1996 || [[Windows 95]]. Dropped support for [[Windows 3.1]]
|- 
| 8 || February 1997 ||
|- 
| 9 || September 1998 || All versions from here use .jtd extension
|- 
| 10 || September 1999 ||
|- 
| 11 || February 2001 ||
|- 
| 12 || February 2002 ||Dropped support for Windows 95
|- 
| 13 || February 2003||
|- 
| 14 || February 2004|| Ichitaro 2004
|- 
| 15 || February 2005|| Ichitaro 2005
|- 
| 16 || February 2006|| Ichitaro 2006
|- 
| 17 || 9 February 2007|| Ichitaro 2007. Dropped support for [[Windows 98]] and [[Windows Me|Me]]
|- 
| 18 || 8 February 2008|| Ichitaro 2008
|- 
| 19 || 6 February 2009|| Ichitaro 2009. [[Windows 7]]
|- 
| 20 || 5 February 2010|| Ichitaro 2010. Dropped support for [[Windows 2000]]
|- 
| 21 || 10 February 2011|| Ichitaro 2011 {{Nihongo|2=創|3=Sō}}
|- 
| 22 || 10 February 2012|| Ichitaro 2012 {{Nihongo|2=承|3=Shō}}
|- 
| 23 || 8 February 2013|| Ichitaro 2013 {{Nihongo|2=玄|3=Gen}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.justsystems.com/jp/news/2012l/news/j12041.html|title=ニュースリリース 2012.12.04 書き手の感性を刺激し、より深みのある表現へと導く「一太郎2013 玄」を来年2月8日（金）より発売|date=2012-12-04|website=JustSystems|access-date=2019-03-31}}</ref> [[Digital rights management|DRM]] activation implemented<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.netjapan.co.jp/r/faq/index.php?docid=fee64bd2fdc9d0f0664f4786b339e603|title=ネットジャパン製品 FAQ - powered by phpMyFAQ 1.4.11|date=2013-05-21|website=NetJapan|access-date=2019-03-31}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|- 
| 24 || 7 February 2014|| Ichitaro 2014 {{Nihongo|2=徹|3=Tetsu}}
|- 
| 25 || 6 February 2015|| Ichitaro 2015. Dropped support for Windows XP
|- 
| 26 || 5 February 2016|| Ichitaro 2016
|- 
| 27 || 3 February 2017|| Ichitaro 2017. Dropped support for [[Windows Vista]]
|- 
| 28 || 9 February 2018|| Ichitaro 2018
|-
| 29 || 8 February 2019|| Ichitaro 2019
|-
| 30 || 7 February 2020|| Ichitaro 2020. Dropped support for Windows 7
|-
| 31 || 5 February 2021|| Ichitaro 2021
|-
| 32 || 10 February 2022|| Ichitaro 2022
|-
| 33 || 10 February 2023|| Ichitaro 2023. Dropped support for Windows 7 and [[Windows 8.1|8.1]]
|-
| 34 || 9 February 2024|| Ichitaro 2024
|-
| 35 || 7 February 2025|| Ichitaro 2025
|}

==Security==
In 2013, [[NortonLifeLock|Symantec]] revealed that Ichitaro had the potential to be targeted by [[trojan horse program]]s.<ref>[https://community.broadcom.com/symantecenterprise/communities/community-home/librarydocuments/viewdocument?DocumentKey=1bd7e358-b2e5-49a3-aee3-b00b65c6e952&CommunityKey=1ecf5f55-9545-44d6-b0f4-4e4a7f5f5e68&tab=librarydocuments Symantec: "Yet Another Zero-Day: Japan Hit with Ichitaro Vulnerability", 14 November 2013]. Accessed 3 March 2014</ref> A gang of Chinese hackers was widely blamed for the incident.<ref>[https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/18/new_york_times_hackers_linked_to_japan_ichitaro_attacks/ "New York Times hackers linked to Japan Ichitaro attacks", ''The Register'', 18 November 2013]. Accessed 3 March 2014</ref>

==See also==
*[[ATOK]]
*[[Office Open XML software]]
*[[OpenDocument software]]

==Further reading==
*[http://www.ip.courts.go.jp/eng/documents/pdf/g_panel/10040_eng.pdf 2005 (Ne) 10040 Appeal Case of Seeking Injunction against Patent Infringement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303193129/http://www.ip.courts.go.jp/eng/documents/pdf/g_panel/10040_eng.pdf |date=3 March 2016 }} - the Intellectual Property High Court of Japan

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|name=Ichitaro official website}}

{{word processors}}

[[Category:Windows word processors]]
[[Category:Linux word processors]]
[[Category:1983 software]]