Another Langage:
日本語
GreenEchoes Studio is pleased to announce that on November 1, 2025 Japan Layout Alliance (JLA) Japan Layout Alliance (JLA) was launched on November 1, 2025.
The JLA is an initiative to organize existing specifications for spacebar length and stabilizer position on Japanese-language keyboards and to visualize compatibility by assigning a “class badge” to spacebars with compatible standards.
This project is not intended to establish any standardization body or standard.
By “classifying and organizing” the implementations that currently exist in the market as they are, the goal is to create an environment that reduces confusion among manufacturers, keycap brands, and users.
What is JLA?
Japanese keyboards have multiple space bar dimensions such as 4.25u, 4.5u, and 3.75u, making it very difficult to determine compatibility.
The JLA organizes these “existing size bands” as two classes, JLA-425 and JLA-450, and verbalizes them in an easy-to-understand manner.
This is only an effort to “visualize the current state of the market.
Positioning of the JLA
JLA (Japan Layout Alliance) is a private voluntary organization that has no relationship with JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) or JISC, which are public standards.
The expression “JIS layout” or “Japanese layout” used in JLA is based on the common name for Japanese keyboards generally distributed in the market, and is not intended to define or revise the JIS standard itself.
Participating organizations (as of November 2025)
The following companies and brands have agreed to participate in the JLA.
Criteria Reference Source
- Keyreative (keycap)
- Gateron (key switch stabilizer)
Founding Members
- Sanyo Godo Kaisha (Distributor in Japan)
- KIBU Corporation (Distributor in Japan)
- GK Kurumi (Distributor in Japan)
- Matt3o, Key Cap Designer
- Lofree (keyboard/keycap brand)
*Status updates will be reflected on the JLA page as needed.
About Participating Companies
Japan Layout Alliance (JLA) is a guideline organized from the starting point of the actual situation of Japanese layout users and domestic manufacturers in Japan.
Some foreign manufacturers agree with this concept and have been cooperating technologically ahead of others to enhance compatibility for Japan.
Participating companies from overseas and China will be positioned as **”technology partners implementing guidelines from Japan “**, including the development of stabilizer dimensions and keycap compatibility to meet JLA standards.
JLA commissioned an authoritative specialist company to produce dimensional drawings based on the actual 4.5u/4.25u size space bar, which is widely used in Japan, so there is no room for corporate thought to intervene.
The JLA’s subject matter is solely on the Japanese side, and the stance of the foreign parties is that they are cooperating in order to adjust to the actual situation in Japan.
JLA’s Goals
The JLA aims to
- Organize and visualize space bar specifications for Japanese keyboards
- Creating an environment where manufacturers, keycap brands, and users are not confused by compatibility
- Promoting understanding of Japanese sequence specifications for foreign brands
- Reduce the burden of developing future Japanese-language array products
The JLA will continue its activities as a “loose cooperative framework” to preserve the culture and convenience of Japanese-language sequences and to create a better development environment for the future.
Future progress and additions of participating companies will be posted on the JLA page in Greenkeys as they become available.
