Emergency Numbers in Japan | Police 110, Ambulance 119, and Help in English
The numbers to call if you have an accident, fall ill suddenly, or have something stolen while traveling, plus helplines that answer in English, Chinese, and Korean around the clock. Save them to your phone before you leave.
Overview
Japan's emergency numbers are 110 for the police and 119 for fire and ambulance. Both work anywhere in the country and can be called from a mobile phone. If you are not confident in Japanese, the Japan Visitor Hotline run by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), 050-3816-2787, answers in English, Chinese, and Korean 24 hours a day and can help with accidents, sudden illness, and disasters.
- Crime, an accident or theft: call the police.
- Fire, sudden illness or serious injury: call fire and ambulance.
- When you need language help: call the multilingual hotline.
Your options
| Situation | Who to call |
|---|---|
| Crime, accidents, theft | Police 110 |
| Fire and ambulance (sudden illness, serious injury) | 119 |
| Emergencies where you need language help, and tourist information | JNTO Japan Visitor Hotline 050-3816-2787 (from a phone outside Japan: +81-50-3816-2787). English, Chinese, and Korean, 24 hours a day, every day of the year |
| Police helpline in English (Tokyo) | 03-3501-0110 (24 hours) |
| Lost property (police) | 0570-550-142 (this is the Lost and Found Center of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, and it covers Tokyo only. Elsewhere in Japan, contact the lost property desk of the police in that prefecture.) |
| General police information (Tokyo; English and other languages) | 03-3503-8484 |
| Tourist information (JNTO TIC) | 050-3416-0010 (daily, 9:00-17:00) |
Step by step
When you call 110 or 119
- Stay calm and say where you are. If you do not know the address, the name of a station or a building helps, and so does the address plate posted on a utility pole or a vending machine.
- Say briefly what has happened: an accident, someone injured, a fire, a theft.
- If you cannot speak Japanese, say "English, please" in English. Asking someone nearby, or the hotel front desk, to take over the call is another sure way to get through.
Using a koban
Small local police boxes, called koban and usually signed "KOBAN" or 交番, are found all over Japanese towns and cities. Officers there can give you directions, take a report of lost property, and take a theft report. You need proof that you reported the loss to the police in order to have a passport reissued or to make an insurance claim, so if something is stolen or lost, report it at a koban or a police station.
Finding a hospital
The Japan Tourism Agency publishes a multilingual guide to finding a hospital when you feel unwell. The JNTO hotline can also point you to medical facilities.
Costs
Calls to 110 and 119 are free.
Riding in an ambulance is generally free, but examination and treatment at the hospital are not. Arranging overseas travel insurance before you leave home is a sensible precaution.
What travelers often find confusing
This section is based on travelers' public posts and questions, along with search trends. It is not a collection of personal reviews or ratings.
- Are the police and the ambulance on the same number? No. The police is 110, and fire and ambulance is 119. Both work anywhere in the country and can be called from a mobile phone.
- Do I have to pay if I call an ambulance? Riding in an ambulance is generally free. However, examination and treatment at the hospital are not free. Arranging overseas travel insurance before you leave home is a sensible precaution.
- If I cannot speak Japanese, what should I do when I call 110 or 119? Say "English, please" in English. You can also hand the phone to someone nearby or to the hotel front desk staff, and ask them to speak for you. If you are not confident in Japanese, you can get help in English, Chinese, and Korean 24 hours a day from JNTO's Japan Visitor Hotline, 050-3816-2787.
- Are calls to help lines such as the Japan Visitor Hotline free? No. Numbers beginning with 050 or 03 are charged at normal rates, and the Japan Visitor Hotline's number, 050-3816-2787, is one of them. When you call from a SIM issued outside Japan, international roaming charges apply.
- Where should I go if something is stolen or lost? Report the theft or loss at a koban or a police station. You need proof that you reported it to the police in order to have a passport reissued or to make an insurance claim. Note down the contact details of your own country's embassy or consulate before you leave as well.
Good to know
- Information about earthquakes, typhoons, and other disasters is available in several languages through Safety Tips, an app produced under the supervision of the Japan Tourism Agency, and through NHK WORLD-JAPAN.
- Carry one copy of your passport with you and leave another where you are staying; if the passport is lost, everything moves faster.
- Note down the contact details of your own country's embassy or consulate before you leave as well.