Character encoding issue when creating Japanese files via /specify and /plan commands

[gnnk]

When instructing Claude to create messages or files in Japanese within CLAUDE.md, the files generated by the /specify and /plan commands are experiencing character encoding issues.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Create CLAUDE.md with Japanese instructions
2. Execute /specify command
3. Execute /plan command
4. Generated files contain garbled Japanese characters

Expected Behavior:
Japanese text should be properly encoded and displayed correctly in generated files.

Actual Behavior:
Japanese characters are garbled/corrupted in the output files.

Environment:

• File: CLAUDE.md
• Commands affected: /specify, /plan
• Language: Japanese

[localden]

@gnnk could you please provide some example prompts? Also, what agent are you using for testing?

[gnnk]

After creating CLAUDE.md with /init, add the following:

All file generation and user communication should be conducted in Japanese

Then, when executing:

/specify movie-log-application

The generated spec.md file is showing garbled characters.

spec.md

[localden]

I am almost tempted to say that this is a Claude Code problem, but will verify. Thanks for the report!

[x22x22]

I tested it, and this is indeed a bug in "Claude Code". When double-byte characters + emoji appear together, the files generated by "Claude Code" will have garbled text. The fastest solution is to change the emojis in the template to other text-based content, for example: (⚡ ✅ ❌ 👥) -> ([!] [✓] [X] [Personnel])

[tomyam1]

I also got these encoding issues

See reproduction with minimal prompt:

https://github.com/tomyam1/spec-kit-encoding-issue/blob/001-a-static-website/specs/001-a-static-website/spec.md

It was solved by moving from PowerShell to Bash

Removing the emojis as @x22x22 suggested didn't work.

My guess is that files are not created in utf8 in PowerShell

Edit: It probably only happens for people who are not using latin languages like myself and the author, but it's probably related to some local setting in the OS

[x22x22]

@tomyam1 My working environment is WSL, so this issue occurred in the bash shell.

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[github-actions]

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