diff --git a/llama_hub/file/json/base.py b/llama_hub/file/json/base.py
index 4c0781a612..067a011acc 100644
--- a/llama_hub/file/json/base.py
+++ b/llama_hub/file/json/base.py
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ def load_data(
         file: Path,
         is_jsonl: Optional[bool] = False,
         extra_info: Optional[Dict] = None,
+        encoding: Optional[str] = "utf-8"
     ) -> List[Document]:
         """Load data from the input file.
 
@@ -62,13 +63,14 @@ def load_data(
             file (Path): Path to the input file.
             is_jsonl (Optional[bool]): If True, indicates that the file is in JSONL format. Defaults to False.
             extra_info (Optional[Dict]): Additional information. Default is None.
+            encoding: (Optional[str]): Encoding of file. Default is UTF-8
 
         Returns:
-            List[Document]: List of documents.
+            List[Document]: List of documents. 
         """
         if not isinstance(file, Path):
             file = Path(file)
-        with open(file, "r") as f:
+        with open(file, "r", encoding=encoding) as f:
             data = []
             if is_jsonl:
                 for line in f: