Long long ago, an attractive young Japanese girl informed a handsome young American sailor that Japanese and Chinese can read each others writing although they don't speak the same language, the characters mean the same thing. There is a more modern Japanese writing/alphabet letters that is very different, but the old writings using characters that mean words are interchangeable. And that's about all an old usta be sailor can remember about that. Just remember, there is a difference in sea stories and fairy tales, just not much. But that's how I remember it. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.