diff --git a/anki/features/japanese.py b/anki/features/japanese.py
index 13d75a6c6..dae3819e1 100644
--- a/anki/features/japanese.py
+++ b/anki/features/japanese.py
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class KakasiController(object):
                 from errno import ENOENT
                 raise OSError(ENOENT, 'Kakasi not available')
             # don't convert kana to hiragana
-            p = Popen("kakasi -isjis -osjis -u -JH -p", shell=True,
+            p = Popen("kakasi -isjis -osjis -u -f -s -JH -p", shell=True,
                       bufsize=-1, stdin=PIPE, stdout=PIPE)
             (self.kin, self.kout) = (p.stdin, p.stdout)
             self._open = True