can anyone recommend a good book or computer program for learning to read/write japanese?

Answer 1

You can go to http://byki.com/ and learn a variety of languages for free, including Japanese. It is a software download and it is quite good. They update their word lists and let you know via email when new words and phrases are available. You hear a native speaker pronouncing things in natural time so you don't have to guess if you are getting it 'right'.

~Morg~