Using Japanese-spec keyboard

Since I have been using the US keyboard for many years, I noticed I have a difficulty typing on the Japanese keyboard (my company's PC has the Japanese keyboard). There are some extra keys on the Japanese keyboard even though the basic layout still has QWERTY in the right place. When I try to reach "return", "shift", and "delete" button with my right hand (I type without looking at the keyboard) on the Japanese keyboard, I miss those keys quite often, not to mention some other keys for ?, -, +, and others.

Have you experienced similar difficulty adjusting to the Japanese keyboard? I know I will only buy Mac with the US keyboard (Apple offers that option). Is it worth learning how to type on the Japanese keyboard? Or, should I just stick with US keyboard and buy those keyboards if needed? I already have several extra US keyboards I brought home from US.

Not exactly sure what advice to offer - it's a bit like answering a question about whether to switch from Coca Cola to Pepsi.

I sell computers to English teachers - sometimes they are touch-typists and want an English keyboard, sometimes they are four-finger tappers like myself who actually find the larger Enter key on a Japanese keyboard easier to use.

Anyway, as you stated that you would only ever buy a Mac is isn't an issue - you just order it with the English KB. An English KB for your office computer might be more difficult - what's the computer? Desktop/notebook, Windows or Mac? Desktop replacement is simple.

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At Yodobashi camera, but you may find cheaper US keyboards in Akihabara.
I don't think you should buy Mac.

Which is more convenient, JPN v. US keyboard, is not the non-Japanese only question, but some Japanese also claim the US one is more convenient and faster to type.

I understand your problem - only from another angle. The laptop I currently use (my OH state of the Ark schleptop) has a standard U.K. layout, yet I often type z instead of y as I am used to the German keyboard layout (z and y switch places on the German keyboard). But I also miss the 3 extra umlaut keys, as well as the @ symbol placement. I know that when I purchase a new computer that I will either buy one in Germany (if it is an Apple - money willing) or I will get a German keyboard.

Before my motives get questioned, I wish to point out that it is best to go with that which you are most comfortable with as long as it fullfills all your needs - if you don't need anything that a Japanese keyboard layout offers, jettison it and replace with what you are used to. Conversely, if there is something that a Japanese keyboard offers that cannot be offered by a U.S. one, bite the bullet and learn to use the Japanese one.

I can't do without the umlauts though.

If its the placement of characters thats giving you trouble, just change the layout in the OS and ignore the keyboard. If its the layout of the keys thats an issues, then get a keyboard model that has a layout you like - there is no real "standard" for layouts, just common layouts.

If you can type on the US keyboard without looking at it, then you can also do it on a Japanese keyboard and just switch to US in the OS settings. You will adapt to the slighty different layout after a while. But at the same time you will be able to use the Japanese keyboard since you can actually look at it. There are some keys and characters not found on the US keyboard and it would be difficult to find them on a US keyboard after switching the OS setting to JP.

just change your computer settings so the keyboard is whatever you were used to before.

Depending on the size of the company, they may have licences for the Japanese MUI - means you can run multiple languages on the same copy of windows, meaning you can have a fully English Windows, setup the keyboard to use a US layout, and then anyone else that uses the PC won't be disrupted later.