diff --git a/apps/readest-app/src/__tests__/components/ReadingRuler.test.tsx b/apps/readest-app/src/__tests__/components/ReadingRuler.test.tsx
index 1db462bc..b2e86233 100644
--- a/apps/readest-app/src/__tests__/components/ReadingRuler.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/readest-app/src/__tests__/components/ReadingRuler.test.tsx
@@ -48,6 +48,25 @@ const makeLineRects = (count: number, pitch: number, height: number): RulerTestR
     height,
   }));
 
+// A relocate range whose client rects are three vertical text columns (tall thin
+// strips) in iframe-content coordinates. No frameElement -> rects map straight to
+// overlay coordinates. Columns are listed right-to-left (reading order for
+// vertical-rl), but the builder derives order from geometry + the rtl flag.
+const makeVerticalColumnsRange = (): {
+  getClientRects: () => RulerTestRect[];
+  startContainer: object;
+} => {
+  const columnRects: RulerTestRect[] = [
+    { top: 50, bottom: 950, left: 760, right: 776, width: 16, height: 900 }, // rightmost column
+    { top: 50, bottom: 950, left: 400, right: 416, width: 16, height: 900 }, // middle column
+    { top: 50, bottom: 950, left: 40, right: 56, width: 16, height: 900 }, // leftmost column
+  ];
+  return {
+    startContainer: { ownerDocument: { defaultView: {} } },
+    getClientRects: () => columnRects,
+  };
+};
+
 // A single visible section whose iframe is offset by `frameTop` along the scroll
 // axis (negative = scrolled down). `buildScrolledLineBoxes` walks these contents.
 const makeScrolledContents = (
@@ -299,6 +318,89 @@ describe('ReadingRuler', () => {
     expect(rulerTop()).toBeCloseTo(initialTop, 5);
   });
 
+  // Regression: issue #4865 — for vertical-rl (Japanese vertical) books columns
+  // progress right-to-left, so advancing the ruler forward must move the band to
+  // the LEFT. It used to run backwards because rtl was false for vertical-rl.
+  it('advances the vertical-rl ruler band to the left on a forward move', async () => {
+    mockProgress = { range: makeVerticalColumnsRange(), pageinfo: { current: 0 } };
+    const verticalSettings = { ...viewSettings } as ViewSettings;
+
+    const { container } = render(
+      <ReadingRuler
+        bookKey='book-1'
+        isVertical={true}
+        rtl={true}
+        lines={1}
+        position={4}
+        opacity={0.5}
+        color='transparent'
+        bookFormat='EPUB'
+        viewSettings={verticalSettings}
+        gridInsets={{ top: 0, right: 0, bottom: 0, left: 0 }}
+      />,
+    );
+    const rulerLeft = () =>
+      parseFloat((container.querySelector('.ruler') as HTMLDivElement).style.left);
+
+    // Mount snaps the band onto the first (rightmost) column, near the right edge.
+    let before = 0;
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      before = rulerLeft();
+      expect(before).toBeGreaterThan(80);
+    });
+
+    const consumed = eventDispatcher.dispatchSync('reading-ruler-move', {
+      bookKey: 'book-1',
+      direction: 'forward',
+    });
+
+    expect(consumed).toBe(true);
+    // Forward => next column to the left => band's left percentage decreases.
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(rulerLeft()).toBeLessThan(before);
+    });
+  });
+
+  // The vertical-lr (Mongolian) counterpart moves the other way: forward => right.
+  it('advances the vertical-lr ruler band to the right on a forward move', async () => {
+    mockProgress = { range: makeVerticalColumnsRange(), pageinfo: { current: 0 } };
+    const verticalSettings = { ...viewSettings } as ViewSettings;
+
+    const { container } = render(
+      <ReadingRuler
+        bookKey='book-1'
+        isVertical={true}
+        rtl={false}
+        lines={1}
+        position={4}
+        opacity={0.5}
+        color='transparent'
+        bookFormat='EPUB'
+        viewSettings={verticalSettings}
+        gridInsets={{ top: 0, right: 0, bottom: 0, left: 0 }}
+      />,
+    );
+    const rulerLeft = () =>
+      parseFloat((container.querySelector('.ruler') as HTMLDivElement).style.left);
+
+    // Mount snaps the band onto the first (leftmost) column, near the left edge.
+    let before = 100;
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      before = rulerLeft();
+      expect(before).toBeLessThan(20);
+    });
+
+    const consumed = eventDispatcher.dispatchSync('reading-ruler-move', {
+      bookKey: 'book-1',
+      direction: 'forward',
+    });
+
+    expect(consumed).toBe(true);
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(rulerLeft()).toBeGreaterThan(before);
+    });
+  });
+
   it('still snaps the ruler to lines when advancing by click in scrolled mode', async () => {
     const lineRects = makeLineRects(50, 100, 40);
     mockProgress = { range: {}, pageinfo: { current: 0 } };
diff --git a/apps/readest-app/src/__tests__/libs/document.test.ts b/apps/readest-app/src/__tests__/libs/document.test.ts
index 3f49af39..0fc4d949 100644
--- a/apps/readest-app/src/__tests__/libs/document.test.ts
+++ b/apps/readest-app/src/__tests__/libs/document.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-import { describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { afterEach, describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
 import { readFileSync } from 'fs';
 import { resolve } from 'path';
-import { DocumentLoader } from '@/libs/document';
+import { DocumentLoader, getDirection } from '@/libs/document';
 
 if (typeof globalThis['CSS'] === 'undefined') {
   (globalThis as Record<string, unknown>)['CSS'] = {
@@ -94,3 +94,34 @@ describe('DocumentLoader.open', () => {
     expect(result.format).toBe('EPUB');
   }, 15000);
 });
+
+describe('getDirection', () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    document.body.removeAttribute('style');
+    document.body.removeAttribute('dir');
+    document.documentElement.removeAttribute('dir');
+    document.body.innerHTML = '';
+  });
+
+  it('treats vertical-rl (Japanese vertical) as RTL so columns advance right-to-left', () => {
+    // vertical-rl reads top-to-bottom with columns progressing right-to-left, but
+    // its computed CSS `direction` stays `ltr`; the writing mode alone marks it RTL.
+    document.body.style.writingMode = 'vertical-rl';
+    expect(getDirection(document)).toEqual({ vertical: true, rtl: true });
+  });
+
+  it('treats vertical-lr (Mongolian) as vertical but left-to-right', () => {
+    document.body.style.writingMode = 'vertical-lr';
+    expect(getDirection(document)).toEqual({ vertical: true, rtl: false });
+  });
+
+  it('leaves horizontal-tb as neither vertical nor RTL', () => {
+    document.body.style.writingMode = 'horizontal-tb';
+    expect(getDirection(document)).toEqual({ vertical: false, rtl: false });
+  });
+
+  it('still honors an explicit rtl dir for horizontal text', () => {
+    document.body.setAttribute('dir', 'rtl');
+    expect(getDirection(document)).toEqual({ vertical: false, rtl: true });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/readest-app/src/libs/document.ts b/apps/readest-app/src/libs/document.ts
index c09c8b11..f2df9d6e 100644
--- a/apps/readest-app/src/libs/document.ts
+++ b/apps/readest-app/src/libs/document.ts
@@ -452,7 +452,14 @@ export const getDirection = (doc: Document) => {
     }
   }
   const vertical = writingMode === 'vertical-rl' || writingMode === 'vertical-lr';
-  const rtl = doc.body.dir === 'rtl' || direction === 'rtl' || doc.documentElement.dir === 'rtl';
+  // `vertical-rl` (Japanese/Chinese vertical) advances columns right-to-left even
+  // though its computed `direction` stays `ltr`, so the writing mode itself marks
+  // it RTL. Without this the reading ruler and page turns run backwards (#4865).
+  const rtl =
+    writingMode === 'vertical-rl' ||
+    doc.body.dir === 'rtl' ||
+    direction === 'rtl' ||
+    doc.documentElement.dir === 'rtl';
   return { vertical, rtl };
 };