For 7-bit encoding, it is 128 potential codes where two 96 graphic character sets selected with Shift Out and Shift In characters. For 8-bit encoding, it yields 256 potential codes combining two graphic character sets. The first 96 codes comprise a Japanese variant of ISO 646, or ASCII with backslash () and tilde (~) replaced by yen (¥) and overline (¯), while the second 96 codes consist mainly of katakana. Control characters are specified in JIS X 0211. Note that this standard does not define any means to encode kanji.

JIS X 0201 was supplanted by subsequent encodings such as Shift JIS (which combines this standard and JIS X 0208) and later Unicode.

The substitution of the yen symbol for backslash can make paths on DOS and Windows-based computers with Japanese support display strangely, like "C:¥Program Files¥", for example. Another similar problem is C programming language's control characters of string literals.

Encoded katakana

This table shows the second half of character set of 8-bit encoding.

External links

• JIS X 0201 diagram