Mike, in the file /usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/CJK/UTF8/UTF8.chr there is a } mising (seems to be in the first block after % two bytes ... I always get this message .. (/usr/share/texmf/tex/latex/CJK/UTF8/UTF8.chr File: UTF8.chr 2003/03/28 4.5.2 ) ! Extra }, or forgotten \endgroup. .. running a latex-file coded as following: % -*- coding: utf-8 -*- \documentclass[12pt]{article} \usepackage{german} \usepackage[encapsulated]{CJK} \usepackage[overlap, CJK]{ruby} % \renewcommand{\rubysize}{0.4} \renewcommand{\rubysep}{-0.1ex} % \usepackage{ucs} \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc} % \begin{document} German: Grüß Gott. \begin{CJK}{UTF8}{min}} \CJKfamily{sami} Japanisch: \ruby{今日}{今日} \end{CJK} %Grüß Gottt. \end{document} Can you check this please? Thanks and a Happy New Year Ulrich