HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard is available now at Mascom International for KSh 4,000, an original HP spare in the Japanese JIS layout with kana characters printed beside the Latin letters. It is brand new and sealed, with an integrated backlight, and it fits the 13.3-inch EliteBook x360 1030 G2 convertible launched in 2017. The HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard waits for you at Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD, and ships to every Kenyan county with payment on arrival.
Laptops imported from Japan come with JIS top covers, and those covers have openings shaped for a tall Enter key, a short space bar and a cut-down right Shift. A US or UK board cannot fill those openings neatly, leaving visible gaps and keys that catch on the edges. The HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard restores an ex-Japan unit to its factory look and feel. It also serves translators, Japanese-language learners and staff at Japanese-funded projects who type kana daily. For them, the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard keeps the conversion keys their input method depends on.
No other replacement keyboard for this convertible available through Kenya's electronics retailers offers the JIS arrangement with lighting and original HP build. Mascom International keeps the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard in stock because JIS spares rarely reach Nairobi through ordinary parts channels. Our community of ex-Japan laptop owners consistently finds that a matching keyboard is the difference between a laptop that looks repaired and one that looks untouched. Bring your machine to Kimathi Street for a side-by-side check, or send photos on WhatsApp before ordering.
Common Questions About the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard
Why does the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard cost KSh 500 more than the US and UK versions?
JIS keyboards are made in far smaller numbers and sell mainly inside Japan, so fewer reach Kenya and each one costs more to bring in. The board also carries several extra keys and dual Latin and kana printing. Spread over the 6-month warranty period alone, the KSh 500 difference works out to under KSh 3 a day. Over two years of use it falls below one shilling daily, a small price for an exact fit. Owners who settle for a cheaper US board on a JIS cover usually see the mismatch every day.
My laptop was imported from Japan; does this JP keyboard match its top cover?
Yes, provided the bottom label reads HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 and your current keys show Japanese kana characters. This module comes without a frame, so it sits inside the openings of your existing top cover, and only a JIS board fills a JIS cover cleanly. Parts sellers list the same module for the x360 1030 G3 and G4, though HP does not confirm those. It will not fit the older clamshell 1030 G1. Unsure which keyboard you have? Send photos of the label and keys on WhatsApp and we check before you order.
Can I type ordinary English on the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard?
Yes. The Latin letters sit in the familiar QWERTY positions, so emails and reports type exactly as before. Symbols are where the difference shows: @ has its own key right of P, the double quote sits on Shift and 2, and the colon has a dedicated key. With Windows set to the Japanese layout, every symbol you press matches its printed legend. Users who only type English, on a laptop that never had a JIS cover, will find the US board simpler and cheaper.
What do the extra keys on the Japanese JIS layout actually do?
The Hankaku/Zenkaku key, top left, toggles between English and Japanese input in one press. Muhenkan and Henkan sit either side of the shorter space bar and switch typed sounds between kana and kanji suggestions. The Katakana/Hiragana key changes the script your syllables appear in. There is also a dedicated yen key beside Backspace and a ro key beside the right Shift. English-only typists can simply ignore these keys, since they do nothing harmful when pressed in English input mode.
Who should buy the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard, and who should pick another layout?
Buy it if your laptop came from Japan with a kana keyboard, or if you type Japanese for study or work. Skip it if your current keyboard has a wide single-row Enter key; the US version at KSh 3,500 fits that laptop and saves you KSh 500. Skip it too if your laptop came from Britain with a £ sign above the 3. That machine needs the UK version, also KSh 3,500. Matching the keyboard to the original top cover matters more than personal preference on this convertible.
How do I make Windows read the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard correctly?
Open Settings, go to Time and Language, add Japanese as a language, then open its options and choose the Japanese keyboard (106/109 key) layout. Restart the laptop so the change applies. After that, Windows uses Microsoft IME for kana and kanji, and the symbol keys match what is printed. If you prefer English menus, keep English as the display language and simply add Japanese input alongside it for typing. Software developers in Kilimani who switch between code and Japanese documents often run both setups.
Is a JP keyboard practical for M-Pesa statements, KRA iTax and eCitizen forms?
It is, once Windows uses the Japanese layout. Every letter and number you enter on KRA iTax, eCitizen or a bank portal sits in the usual place, so PINs, ID numbers and passwords type without trouble. The only learning curve is symbols, mainly the @ key in email addresses and the colon. Most owners adjust within a week. Keep the input switched to English mode while filling official forms to avoid accidental kana.
Will the backlight stay readable with two sets of characters on every key?
Yes. Both the Latin letter and the kana character on each key are cut as translucent print, so the light shines through both. At the lowest brightness the kana remain legible in a dark room, which helps learners still memorising positions. The light is adjusted from a keyboard shortcut and turns off when the laptop sleeps. Students at USIU revising late in hostel rooms find the dual-lit keys useful for practice, especially when drilling kana positions by touch.
Technical Specifications
JIS Key Arrangement
- Japanese JIS layout with a tall reverse-L Enter key, matching the cut-out on ex-Japan top covers.
- Shorter space bar leaves room for the Muhenkan, Henkan and Katakana/Hiragana keys either side of it.
- Dedicated @ key right of P and colon key right of the semicolon, so neither symbol needs Shift.
- Yen key beside Backspace and a ro key next to right Shift, both used heavily in Japanese typing.
- Latin letters stay in standard QWERTY positions, so English typing speed carries over with almost no retraining.
- Right Shift is shortened to make space for the ro key, matching the opening on Japan-market top covers.
Japanese Input Keys
- Hankaku/Zenkaku key at top left toggles between English and Japanese input without opening any language menu.
- Henkan converts typed kana into kanji suggestions, letting fluent writers produce Japanese text at full speed.
- Muhenkan keeps text in kana when no conversion is wanted, which suits names and simple vocabulary.
- Katakana/Hiragana key switches scripts instantly, useful for foreign loanwords that Japanese writes in katakana.
- Caps Lock carries the Eisu legend, matching the labelling that Japanese-market laptops have always used.
- Works with Microsoft IME built into Windows, so no paid Japanese input software is required for kana or kanji.
Lighting Under the Keys
- Integrated light layer shines through both Latin and kana legends, so every character stays readable after dark.
- Brightness changes from a keyboard shortcut, from a soft evening level up to full or completely off.
- Lighting runs on its own ribbon connection to the motherboard, the same arrangement as the factory keyboard.
- Even spread across all rows, so the smaller kana print stays as visible as the larger Latin letters.
- Shuts off whenever the laptop sleeps or the lid closes, protecting battery charge between working sessions.
- Low brightness keeps the kana readable without glare, which helps learners checking key positions in dim rooms.
Fit and Top Cover Shape
- Made for the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2, the 13.3-inch convertible released by HP in 2017.
- Fills JIS top covers exactly, because this frameless module relies on the cover's own shaped key openings.
- Parts sellers list it for the x360 1030 G3 and G4 too; confirm your unit's label before ordering.
- Incompatible with the clamshell 1030 G1, which uses another keyboard outline and connector position.
- Read by Windows 10 and Windows 11 without drivers, needing only the Japanese layout setting described above.
- Bottom label must read EliteBook x360 1030 G2, and existing keys must show kana, for a guaranteed match.
Materials and Mechanism
- Black keycaps with dual translucent legends, identical in appearance to the keyboard HP installs in Japan-market units.
- Bare module without frame or top cover, designed to drop into the shell your laptop already has.
- Separate ribbons for the key matrix and the lighting, each matching the motherboard sockets on this model.
- Low-profile switches with even travel register each press once, which matters during rapid kana conversion.
- Slim enough to preserve the original chassis thickness, so the screen still folds back into tablet position.
- Cut-down space bar sits level with the conversion keys, so thumbs land on the right key without looking.
Contents and Condition
- One brand-new original HP JIS backlit keyboard module, never fitted to any laptop before sale.
- Lighting layer already joined to the keyboard, so there is nothing extra to align during fitting.
- Packed flat with padding that keeps the keycaps intact and the ribbon cables free of folds.
- Supplied without screws, top cover or touchpad, since the parts already in your laptop are reused.
- Covered for factory faults by the Mascom International accessory warranty stated in the section below.
Package Contents
The HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard is supplied as a bare HP service module, packed for safe travel:
- Original HP Japanese JIS backlit keyboard module
- Connected ribbon cables for keys and lighting
- Padded protective packaging
Your existing screws, top cover and touchpad stay in the laptop and are reused. On delivery, check that the kana legends, the short space bar and both ribbon cables are intact before paying.
Warranty
The HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard comes with a 6-month Mascom International warranty against manufacturing defects. Any key or lighting failure that appears under normal use, after correct installation, qualifies. The cover excludes liquid damage, torn ribbon cables and faults introduced during fitting. Present the keyboard and your receipt at our Nairobi CBD store to start a claim.
Where to Find the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard in Kenya
You can buy the HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2 JP Backlit Keyboard today at Mascom International, Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD. Our doors are open Monday to Saturday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, so you can match the kana layout against your laptop in person. It comes in black, and US and UK editions of the same part are in stock as well.
Place your order through:
- Call/WhatsApp: +254 708 852 521
- Email: info@mascomintl.com
- Website: www.mascomintl.com
Every Kenyan county is covered by Mascom International's pay-on-arrival delivery, so the keyboard is paid for only after you hold it. Orders within Nairobi and its environs arrive the same day. Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu, Mombasa, Kakamega and other major towns receive theirs the next business day. Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Lamu, Tana River, and Turkana receive delivery within 2-3 business days.
Each keyboard is covered by the 6-month warranty above, and claims are processed at our CBD service desk.
Mascom International serves customers nationwide with correctly matched spare parts, transparent pricing and support from a shop you can visit any working day.
