Japan Emergency Numbers: 110, 119, #7119 and What to Say (Guide for Foreigners)
In Japan, dial 110 for the police and 119 for fire or an ambulance. Both are free, answer 24 hours a day, and work from any phone—a locked smartphone, a hotel landline, or a public phone without coins. If someone is sick or hurt and you’re not sure whether it’s an ambulance situation, #7119 puts you through to a nurse who will tell you.
Below: the full list of numbers, what to say if you don’t speak Japanese, and what the disaster alerts on your phone mean.
Japan’s Emergency Numbers at a Glance
| Number | When to call | Language | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110 | Police: crime, traffic accident, someone in danger | Japanese; interpreter on request in major cities | 24h |
| 119 | Fire, ambulance, serious injury or illness | Japanese; interpreter on request in major cities | 24h |
| 118 | Emergencies at sea (Coast Guard) | Japanese | 24h |
| #7119 | Not sure whether to call an ambulance—a nurse advises you | Mainly Japanese | 24h in Tokyo and most areas that run it |
| #8000 | The same, for children | Japanese | Evenings, weekends and holidays in most areas |
| #9110 | Police matters that aren’t an emergency: stalking, scams, disputes | Japanese | Office hours |
| 171 | Disaster message dial: leave or hear an “I’m safe” message when lines are jammed | Japanese menu | Opened during major disasters |
| 050-3816-2787 | Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO): accidents, illness, disasters—guidance and interpretation | English, Chinese, Korean, Japanese | 24h, 365 days |
Save the last one in your phone now. It’s the number to call when you don’t know which number to call.
110 – Police
Call 110 for anything that needs a police officer now: a crime in progress, a theft, an assault, a traffic accident. In Japan you call the police for every traffic accident, even a scrape with no injuries—insurance claims need the police report, and leaving the scene is an offence.
The operator will ask what happened, where you are, and your name and number. If you can’t explain in Japanese, say “English, please” and stay on the line; police in Tokyo, Osaka and other major cities connect an interpreter on a three-way call.
For things that can wait, use the local police box (交番, kōban) instead. Kōban officers handle lost property, minor disputes, directions and general questions, and there’s one near almost every station. For advice on something that isn’t an emergency—a stalker, a scam, a neighbour dispute—the police consultation line is #9110.
119 – Fire and Ambulance
Call 119 for a fire of any size, or for anyone who is seriously injured, unconscious, struggling to breathe, bleeding heavily, or showing signs of a heart attack or stroke.
The first question you’ll hear is “Kaji desu ka, kyūkyū desu ka?” (火事ですか、救急ですか)—fire or ambulance? Answer “Kyūkyū desu” (ambulance) or “Kaji desu” (fire), then give the address.
Two things to know about Japanese ambulances: the ride and the care on board are free, and the crew chooses the hospital—the nearest one that can treat you, not the one you’d prefer. You’ll pay for treatment at the hospital as usual (30% if you have Japanese health insurance).
If you’re not sure the situation is serious enough for 119, that’s exactly what the next number is for.
What Is #7119?
#7119 (Kyūkyū Anshin Center, 救急安心センター) is a medical consultation line run by local governments. Dial it when someone is ill or hurt and you’re deciding between an ambulance, a taxi to a hospital, or waiting until morning. A nurse—with a doctor on call—asks about the symptoms and tells you which. If it’s serious, they transfer you to 119 themselves. They can also tell you which clinics are open right now.
Three practical points:
- Coverage. #7119 is run prefecture by prefecture and isn’t available everywhere yet. Tokyo, Osaka, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Aichi and most other large prefectures have it, 24 hours a day. In some rural areas the number doesn’t connect, or only works in the evening. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency keeps the current list.
- Language. The service is mainly in Japanese. Tokyo’s centre can sometimes arrange interpretation, but don’t count on it: if you can’t manage in Japanese, call the Japan Visitor Hotline (050-3816-2787) and let them make the call with you.
- Children. For a child under 15, #8000 does the same job, usually from evening until morning and all day on weekends and holidays.
Neither number replaces 119. If someone is unconscious, not breathing normally, or bleeding heavily, call 119 first.
What to Say When You Don’t Speak Japanese
Emergency operators are used to short, broken Japanese. Three things matter, in this order:
- Where you are. The address if you know it; otherwise the nearest station, a big building, a convenience store name. Your phone’s map app will show the address in Japanese if you tap your location.
- What happened. Fire, accident, someone collapsed.
- How many people are hurt.
Phrases that get you through the call:
| Say | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Kyūkyū desu (救急です) | I need an ambulance |
| Kaji desu (火事です) | There’s a fire |
| Jiko desu (事故です) | There’s been an accident |
| Kega-nin ga imasu (けが人がいます) | Someone is injured |
| Basho wa … desu (場所は…です) | The place is … |
| Eigo o onegai shimasu (英語をお願いします) | English, please |
| Tsūyaku o onegai shimasu (通訳をお願いします) | An interpreter, please |
Then stay on the line. Don’t hang up until the operator tells you to—they may keep asking questions while the ambulance is already on its way.
Calling From a Mobile or a Public Phone
Smartphone: you don’t need to unlock it. On the lock screen, tap “Emergency” (iPhone) or “Emergency call” (Android) and dial 110 or 119. Both work on any carrier and on a phone with no SIM.
Public phone: lift the receiver, press the red emergency button if there is one, and dial 110 or 119. No coins or card needed. Green public phones are still found in stations, airports, hotels and hospitals.
Landline in a hotel or office: dial the outside-line prefix first if there is one (often 0), then 110 or 119.
Finding a Hospital and What to Bring
For anything that isn’t an emergency, you’ll usually see a clinic (クリニック) rather than a hospital. Outside office hours, every city has after-hours clinics (夜間診療所) and holiday clinics (休日診療所); your ward or city website lists them, and #7119 can tell you which one is open.
To find English-speaking doctors, search “[area] English speaking clinic”, ask your embassy’s list, or use the JNTO medical facility search for facilities that accept foreign patients.
Bring your My Number card registered as your insurance card (or the paper qualification certificate that replaced the old insurance card), your residence card, and cash or a card for your share of the bill. Without Japanese health insurance you pay the full amount.
Want to know more about health insurance in Japan? Read the article below!
Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Typhoons: What the Alerts Mean
Earthquake Early Warning (緊急地震速報). The loud alarm on every phone in the area means strong shaking is seconds away. Drop, cover your head, and hold on—under a table if there is one, away from windows. Outdoors, move away from buildings and power lines. In a car, pull over and stay in it.
Tsunami warning (津波警報). If you’re near the coast and feel a strong quake, don’t wait for the alert—head for high ground or the upper floors of a solid concrete building. Follow the green tsunami evacuation signs.
Typhoon and flood warnings come with an alert level from your municipality. Since 2021 there are three that matter:
| Level | Japanese | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 高齢者等避難 | Older people, small children and anyone who needs time to move should leave now; everyone else, get ready |
| 4 | 避難指示 | Everyone in the area leaves for an evacuation centre or a safe place |
| 5 | 緊急安全確保 | Too late to evacuate safely—protect yourself where you are, on the highest floor you can reach |
Evacuation centres (避難所) are usually schools and community halls; your ward’s website has the map, and the Safety Tips app below shows the nearest one.
A bag you can grab on the way out saves the most time. Two ready-made kits that cover the basics:
ポチップ
ポチップ
Disaster Message Dial 171 and the Apps Worth Installing
When a major disaster hits, mobile networks jam. 171 is the workaround: dial 171, press 1 and your home number to record “I’m safe”, or 2 and the number to hear messages left for you. The menu is in Japanese, so practise once—NTT opens the line for testing on the 1st and 15th of every month.
Three apps cover the rest:
- Safety Tips (Japan Tourism Agency): push alerts for earthquakes, tsunamis and weather in 15 languages, plus evacuation maps and a one-tap 110/119 button. Details on JNTO’s safety page.
- NHK World-Japan: live news and disaster coverage in English.
- Japan Meteorological Agency (English site): the source the other apps draw from—typhoon tracks, rainfall and warnings.
Your Embassy
Save your embassy’s emergency number alongside 110 and 119. Embassies can issue an emergency passport, contact your family if you’re hospitalised, visit you if you’re detained, and help with arrangements after a death. They can’t act as your lawyer, get you out of custody, pay your bills, or override Japanese law. Find the number by searching “[your country] embassy Japan emergency”.
FAQs About Emergencies in Japan
What is the emergency number in Japan?
110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance. Both are free, 24 hours, and work from any phone—including a locked smartphone and a public phone without coins.
What is #7119 in Japan?
A medical consultation line staffed by nurses and doctors. Call it when someone is sick or hurt and you’re not sure whether to call an ambulance. It’s available in Tokyo, Osaka and most other prefectures, mainly in Japanese. For children, #8000 does the same job.
Can I call 119 in English?
Yes. Say “Eigo o onegai shimasu” and stay on the line; dispatch centres in major cities connect an interpreter on a three-way call. Give your location first, even in English.
Is the ambulance free in Japan?
Yes. Transport and care on board are free; you pay for treatment at the hospital—30% with Japanese health insurance, the full amount without.
What do I do during an earthquake alert?
Drop, cover and hold on until the shaking stops. Near the coast, move to high ground without waiting for a tsunami warning. Alert level 4 (避難指示) means leave now.
Knowing who to call matters most once you’re settled. Aikagi helps English-speaking residents find and rent apartments across Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba.