diff --git a/xwords4/android/scripts/copy-strings.py b/xwords4/android/scripts/copy-strings.py
index 89fe46d47..f277735a6 100755
--- a/xwords4/android/scripts/copy-strings.py
+++ b/xwords4/android/scripts/copy-strings.py
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ import re, sys, os, getopt
 from lxml import etree
 
 s_prefix = 'XLATE ME: '
-
+# languages in which it's ok to make a standalone quantity="one" into
+# quantity="other"
+g_oneToOthers = ['values-ja']
 
 sComment = """
     DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!!!!
@@ -31,34 +33,90 @@ def sameAsEnglishPlural(engNames, strElem):
              and sameOrSameWithPrefix( str, strs['other'] )
     return result
 
-def pluralsIsSame(engNames, plurals):
-    different = False           # all children duplicates of English
-    strings = engNames[plurals.get('name')]['strings']
+# If has a one and no (or empty) other, convert the one to other
+def tryConvertOne( plurals ):
+    quantities = {}
+    for item in plurals.getchildren():
+        quantities[item.get("quantity")] = item
+
+    use = False
+    if "one" in quantities:
+        if "other" in quantities:
+            text = quantities['other'].text
+            if not text or 0 == len(text):
+                use = True
+        else:
+            use = True
+
+    if use:
+        print "converting", plurals.get('name')
+        plurals.remove(quantities['other'])
+        quantities['one'].set('quantity', 'other')
+
+def pluralsIsBogus(engNames, plurals, verbose):
+    haveOther = False           # will crash without one
+    bogus = False
     for item in plurals.getchildren():
-        quantity = item.get('quantity')
         text = item.text
         if not text or 0 == len(text):
-            print "bogus empty item in", plurals.get('name')
+            bogus = True
+            if verbose:
+                quantity = item.get("quantity")
+                print 'dropping plurals {name} because of empty/missing \"{quantity}\"' \
+                    .format(name=plurals.get("name"), quantity=quantity )
+            break
+        if item.get("quantity") == "other":
+            haveOther = True
+
+    if verbose and not bogus and not haveOther:
+        print "dropping plurals {name} because no \"other\" quantity" \
+            .format(name=plurals.get("name"))
+            
+    return bogus or not haveOther
+
+def pluralsIsSame(engNames, plurals):
+    different = False           # all children duplicates of English
+    engItem = engNames[plurals.get('name')]
+    strings = engItem['strings']
+    for item in plurals.getchildren():
+        text = item.text
+        if not text or 0 == len(text):
+            print "bogus empty plurals item in", plurals.get('name')
+            engItem = engItem
             sys.exit(1)
+
+        quantity = item.get('quantity')
         if quantity in strings:
             if sameOrSameWithPrefix( strings[quantity], text ):
                 different = True
     return different
 
-def checkPlurals( engNames, elem ):
+# path will be something like res_src/values-pt/strings.xml. We want
+# the next-to-last entry.
+def valuesDir( path ):
+    splits = path.split('/')
+    return splits[-2]
+
+def checkPlurals( engNames, elem, src, verbose ):
     name = elem.get('name')
+    ok = True
     if not name in engNames or not 'plurals' == engNames[name]['type']:
         print 'plurals', name, 'not in engNames or not a plurals there'
         ok = False
-    elif pluralsIsSame(engNames, elem):
+
+    if ok and valuesDir(src) in g_oneToOthers:
+        tryConvertOne( elem )
+
+    if ok and pluralsIsBogus(engNames, elem, verbose):
         ok = False
-    else:
+    if ok and pluralsIsSame(engNames, elem):
+        ok = False
+    if ok:
         for item in elem.getchildren():
             if 0 == len(item.text):
                 ok = False
                 print 'bad empty item', name
                 sys.exit(1)
-        ok = True
     return ok
 
 def loadPlural(plural):
@@ -78,7 +136,10 @@ def writeDoc(doc, src, dest):
 
 def checkOrConvertString(engNames, elem, verbose):
     name = elem.get('name')
-    if not name in engNames or elem.text.startswith(s_prefix):
+    if not elem.text:
+        print "elem", name, "is empty"
+        sys.exit(1)
+    elif not name in engNames or elem.text.startswith(s_prefix):
         ok = False
     elif not 'string' == engNames[name]['type']:
         if 'plurals' == engNames[name]['type']:
@@ -111,7 +172,7 @@ def checkAndCopy( parser, engNames, src, dest, verbose ):
             elem.getparent().remove(elem)
 
     for elem in doc.findall('plurals'):
-        if not checkPlurals(engNames, elem):
+        if not checkPlurals(engNames, elem, src, verbose):
             elem.getparent().remove(elem)
 
     writeDoc(doc, src, dest)
@@ -119,7 +180,7 @@ def checkAndCopy( parser, engNames, src, dest, verbose ):
 def main():
     # add these via params later
     excepts = ['values-ca_PS', 'values-ba_CK']
-    verboses = ['values-fr']
+    verboses = ['values-ja']
 
     # summarize the english file
     wd = os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0])
@@ -128,10 +189,10 @@ def main():
 
     engFormats = {}
     parser = etree.XMLParser(remove_blank_text=True, encoding="utf-8")
-    doc = etree.parse(path, parser)
+    engDoc = etree.parse(path, parser)
     pat = re.compile( '(%\d\$[sd])', re.DOTALL | re.MULTILINE )
     for typ in ['string', 'plurals']:
-        for elem in doc.findall(typ):
+        for elem in engDoc.findall(typ):
             name = elem.get('name')
             item = { 'type' : typ }
             if typ == 'string':