diff --git a/src/engine_constants/mod.rs b/src/engine_constants/mod.rs
index ca66676..ebb16b6 100644
--- a/src/engine_constants/mod.rs
+++ b/src/engine_constants/mod.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use crate::i18n::Locale;
 use crate::player::ControlMode;
 use crate::scripting::tsc::text_script::TextScriptEncoding;
 use crate::settings::Settings;
-use crate::shared_game_state::{Language, Season};
+use crate::shared_game_state::{FontData, Language, Season};
 use crate::sound::pixtone::{Channel, Envelope, PixToneParameters, Waveform};
 use crate::sound::SoundManager;
 
@@ -1792,8 +1792,17 @@ impl EngineConstants {
     }
 
     pub fn load_locales(&mut self, ctx: &mut Context) -> GameResult {
+        self.locales.clear();
+
         for language in Language::values() {
-            self.locales.insert(language.to_string(), Locale::new(ctx, language.to_language_code(), language.font()));
+            // Only Switch 1.3+ data contains an entirely valid JP font
+            let font =
+                if language == Language::Japanese && filesystem::exists_find(ctx, &self.base_paths, "/credit_jp.tsc") {
+                    FontData::new("csfontjp.fnt".to_owned(), 0.5, 0.0)
+                } else {
+                    language.font()
+                };
+            self.locales.insert(language.to_string(), Locale::new(ctx, language.to_language_code(), font));
             log::info!("Loaded locale {} ({}).", language.to_string(), language.to_language_code());
         }
 
diff --git a/src/shared_game_state.rs b/src/shared_game_state.rs
index 1536819..5e9091b 100644
--- a/src/shared_game_state.rs
+++ b/src/shared_game_state.rs
@@ -107,7 +107,8 @@ impl Language {
     pub fn font(self) -> FontData {
         match self {
             Language::English => FontData::new("csfont.fnt".to_owned(), 0.5, 0.0),
-            Language::Japanese => FontData::new("csfontjp.fnt".to_owned(), 0.5, 0.0),
+            // Use default as fallback if no proper JP font is found
+            Language::Japanese => FontData::new("0.fnt".to_owned(), 1.0, 0.0),
         }
     }
 
@@ -282,8 +283,6 @@ impl SharedGameState {
         let settings = Settings::load(ctx)?;
         let mod_requirements = ModRequirements::load(ctx)?;
 
-        constants.load_locales(ctx)?;
-
         #[cfg(not(target_os = "android"))]
         if filesystem::exists(ctx, "/base/lighting.tbl") {
             info!("Cave Story+ (Switch) data files detected.");
@@ -321,6 +320,8 @@ impl SharedGameState {
         let season = Season::current();
         constants.rebuild_path_list(None, season, &settings);
 
+        constants.load_locales(ctx)?;
+
         let active_locale = constants.locales.get(&settings.locale.to_string()).unwrap();
 
         if constants.is_cs_plus {