mikan

I agree,it's killing me to,need to be able to read Japanese as well

I can recommend two apps that will help you get started. One is free... Duolingo, and the other is a paid app... Human Japanese. Both are available through Google Play. Human Japanese is expensive ($19.99 with a free limited version available), but it is incredibly thorough and easy to understand. It not only teaches you how to read hiragana, katakana and kanji, it also teaches proper writing form and offers voice recognition for pronunciation. There are even "break chapters" where culture and customs are discussed. Duolingo is your basic "Rosetta Stone" style app. I use both and have been having a blast learning Japanese. It is really an intricate, nuanced and beautiful language. I'll admit the grammar really gives this native English speaker a migraine sometimes, but I don't think I have ever had this much fun learning a new language. I wish you the best and hope you have as much fun as I am.