Nihon-shiki is a system for romanizing the Japanese language, developed in the early 20th century. It was created to provide a standardized way to represent Japanese sounds using the Latin alphabet, making it easier for non-Japanese speakers to read and pronounce Japanese words. This romanization system is based on the Hepburn system but emphasizes a more phonetic approach. It is often used in linguistic studies and educational materials, helping learners understand the pronunciation of Japanese characters, such as hiragana and katakana.