Index: Lib/_strptime.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/_strptime.py	(revision 69496)
+++ Lib/_strptime.py	(working copy)
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 import locale
 import calendar
 from re import compile as re_compile
-from re import IGNORECASE, ASCII
+from re import IGNORECASE
 from re import escape as re_escape
 from datetime import date as datetime_date
 try:
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@
 
     def compile(self, format):
         """Return a compiled re object for the format string."""
-        return re_compile(self.pattern(format), IGNORECASE | ASCII)
+        return re_compile(self.pattern(format), IGNORECASE)
 
 _cache_lock = _thread_allocate_lock()
 # DO NOT modify _TimeRE_cache or _regex_cache without acquiring the cache lock
Index: Lib/test/test_strptime.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/test/test_strptime.py	(revision 69496)
+++ Lib/test/test_strptime.py	(working copy)
@@ -385,6 +385,16 @@
         need_escaping = ".^$*+?{}\[]|)("
         self.failUnless(_strptime._strptime_time(need_escaping, need_escaping))
 
+    def test_unicode(self):
+        # Issue 5240
+        strf_output = time.strftime("%a\u0020%b", self.time_tuple)
+        self.failUnless(_strptime._strptime_time(strf_output, "%a\u0020%b"))
+        strf_output = time.strftime("%a\u3000%b", self.time_tuple)
+        self.failUnless(_strptime._strptime_time(strf_output, "%a\u3000%b"))
+        # Issue 5239
+        strp_output = _strptime._strptime_time("\uff12\uff10\uff10\uff19", "%Y")
+        self.assertEquals(strp_output.tm_year, 2009)
+
 class Strptime12AMPMTests(unittest.TestCase):
     """Test a _strptime regression in '%I %p' at 12 noon (12 PM)"""