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Emergency Numbers for Japan

Mobi • Oct 13, 2022

Unlike North America, where 911 is the number for all dire emergencies, in Japan, different telephone numbers are used for notifying Police (110) and Fire/Ambulance (119) during emergencies.

Contacting the Police (☎110)

If you are involved in a fender-bender or other minor traffic accident, you will need to notify the police who will document the event for legal and insurance purposes.

You would also dial 110 if you are the victim of, or otherwise need to report, a crime.

Quick Reference


Police	110
Fire	119
Ambulance	119
Non-urgent Medical	#7119
Coast Guard	118
Disaster Safety Confirmation	171
Report Child Abuse	189

Fire Department or Ambulance (☎119)

In the event of a fire or medical emergency, dial 119.

While English (and a handful of other foreign languages) is supported (they will connect to a 3rd-party interpreter), this takes time. As such, it would be prudent to learn enough Japanese to let them know 火事です (kaji desu) for a fire and 救急 (Kyūkyū) when an ambulance is needed.

If you or someone is sick or injured but are unsure whether you need an ambulance, please call #7119.

Other Emergency Numbers

Trouble on the Water (☎118)

If you find yourself in trouble while at sea within Japanese waters, the emergency number to contact the Japanese Coast Guard is 118.

Disaster Line (☎171)

During disasters (such as earthquakes) 171 Disaster Line is a message board where you can record a voice message and have friends or family automatically notified. To record a voice message:

dial 171
then, dial 1 followed by the family member's phone number

To hear your message, the other party will need to:

dial 171
then, dial 2 and the their phone number

It should be noted that this service is only available to domestic (Japan) telephone numbers.

To notify overseas family of your safety status, you can post messages via NTT's Web 171 service.

That said, if you can connect to the internet for this service, then you can probably just pop off an email to your family and/or leave an "I'm safe..." message on Facebook or other social media.

Reporting Child Abuse (☎189)

189 is an emergency contact number for reporting child abuse. Use cases include when you see a child being abused, or even when you yourself abuse a child due to the stress of raising a child.

English Language Support

When contacting emergency services for Fire/Ambulance (119) or Police (110), the operator will answer in Japanese and may only understand that language. However, other languages are supported via 3rd-party interpreters (they will connect). Which languages are supported, is different depending on the municipality, but you can generally rest assured that English will be one of them.

Emergency Call Support in English in Japan

Safeguard Yourself in Emergencies

(and receive support for other daily tasks as a short-term expat or traveler to Japan)

Japan 24-Hour Helpline is a service that offers interpretation and support for emergencies as well as a variety of other daily tasks that prove challenging to non-Japanese speakers.

The 24-Hour Helpline is a subscription service that gives added support needed during those challenging times, including:

Emergency help provided by bilingual personnel
Help with communicating with bank, post-office, or city office staff
Help with urgent matters
Interpretation services
Help in sourcing important items
General concierge services during office hours

Visit Website

Guy Holding Japan 24-Hour Helpline website

Japan 24-Hour Helpline website Home page

What is the Japanese equivalent of 911 (North America)?

For police = 110

For fire/ambulance = 119

What is the Japanese equivalent of 112 (Europe)?

For police = 110

For fire/ambulance = 119

What is the Japanese equivalent of 999 (United Kingdom)?

For police = 110

For fire/ambulance = 119

How do I call an ambulance in Japan?

If you need an ambulance in Japan, call 119.

How do I call the fire department (fire brigade) in Japan?

To report a fire and summon the fire department in Japan, call 119.

How to I call the police for emergencies in Japan?

To call the police to report an accident or a crime in Japan, call 110.

Who do I contact for maritime emergencies in Japan?

To contact the Japan Coast Guard in emergencies, call 118.

Where can I report child abuse in Japan?

Dial 189 in Japan to report child abuse.

How can I contact family during a disaster in Japan?

You can leave a voice message for family and friends by calling 171. This however, is only for domestic (within Japan) telephone numbers.

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