Example of reading and writing json files, using utf-8 endcoding.

gistfile1.py

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
"""Json file module."""

import os
import json
import logging
logger = logging.getLogger()


def read_json_from_file(file_path):
    """Reads and de-serializes a json structure from a file."""
    json_structure = {}
    try:
        if file_path and os.path.isfile(file_path):
            with open(file_path, "r") as handle:
                content = handle.read()
            if content is not None:
                try:
                    json_structure = json.loads(content)
                except Exception as exc:
                    logger.error(
                        'Could not de-serializes json: {}'.format(exc)
                    )
    except Exception as exc:
        logger.error('Reading json file failiure: {}'.format(exc))
    return json_structure


def save_json_to_file(file_path, json_structure):
    """Serializes and writes a json structure to a file."""
    if json_structure is None:
        json_structure = {}
    try:
        data = json.dumps(
            json_structure, indent=4, sort_keys=True, ensure_ascii=False
        ).encode('utf-8')  # Force encode.
    except Exception as exc:
        logger.error("Json to string failed: {}, {}".format(
            file_path, exc
        ))
    try:
        with open(file_path, "w+") as handle:
            handle.write(data)
    except IOError as exc:
        logger.error("Could not write file: {}, {}".format(file_path, exc))