Emergency numbers and help lines for visitors in Japan
Save these before you fly. Japan’s emergency numbers are short and free, there is a 24-hour hotline for visitors in English, Chinese and Korean, and an official app pushes earthquake and tsunami warnings in your language.
Numbers to save now
| Number | For |
|---|---|
| 110 | Police: crimes such as theft or assault, and traffic accidents. |
| 119 | Fire and ambulance: fires, sudden serious illness or injury. |
| 118 | Japan Coast Guard: emergencies at sea, such as a boating or swimming accident offshore. |
| 050-3816-2787 | Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO): 24 hours, every day, in English, Chinese and Korean, for tourist information and help after accidents or in emergencies. From a non-Japanese phone: +81-50-3816-2787. |
Which number to call
If someone is in danger, call 110 or 119 first. These are the direct lines to police and to the fire department, which also runs ambulances. The Japan Visitor Hotline is useful when the situation is not a life-threatening emergency, or when you need help understanding what to do next, for example after losing documents or when you are unsure where to get medical care.
How to call an ambulance (119)
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s medical information site for visitors, based on Tokyo Fire Department guidance, sets out what the dispatcher will ask. If the situation is very urgent, an ambulance may be sent before every question is answered.
- Say that it is a medical emergency (ambulance), not a fire.
- Give the address where the ambulance is needed. A hotel name, a nearby station exit, or a building name on a sign helps.
- Describe the person’s symptoms.
- Give the person’s age.
- Give your name and a phone number where you can be reached.
Stay calm and answer slowly. If someone nearby speaks Japanese, ask them to help. In Tokyo, emergency calls from non-Japanese speakers can use three-way simultaneous interpretation in English, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. Many other fire departments in Japan also offer interpretation, but availability depends on the area, so do not wait to find an interpreter before calling.
If you are not sure it is an emergency
- #7119 is an emergency medical advice line (doctors and nurses advise whether to call an ambulance or see a doctor) run by many prefectures and cities. It is mainly in Japanese and not available everywhere; the Fire and Disaster Management Agency keeps the list of areas (Japanese).
- JNTO’s medical institution search helps you find hospitals and clinics that can see foreign patients.
- The Japan Visitor Hotline (050-3816-2787) can also help you work out where to go.
Earthquakes, tsunami and severe weather
The Japan Tourism Agency’s free app Safety tips sends push alerts for earthquake early warnings, tsunami warnings and other weather warnings in Japan in 15 languages, including English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese and Thai. It also has an evacuation flowchart and phrases for asking people around you for information. Install it and set your language before you travel, while you still have reliable data; the Safety tips Web version shows the same emergency contacts in a browser.
Lost passport or trouble with documents
Report a lost or stolen passport to the police (a police box, or 110 if it was stolen) and contact your country’s embassy or consulate, which handles replacement travel documents. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan keeps a list of foreign embassies in Japan (Japanese, with links to each embassy).
Two minutes of preparation
- Save 110, 119 and 050-3816-2787 in your phone, and the address of where you are staying in Japanese (copy it from the booking confirmation).
- Make sure your phone has data from the moment you land, so maps, translation and the Safety tips app work. Our Japan eSIM guide explains how to choose a plan.
- Check what your travel insurance covers and keep its emergency assistance number with these numbers.
Sources
- Japan National Tourism Organization, Japan Visitor Hotline.
- Japan Tourism Agency, Safety tips Web: Emergency services (110, 119, the Visitor Hotline number).
- Japan National Tourism Organization, The app “Safety tips”.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government, How to call an ambulance (Tokyo Medical Information Site for Foreign Tourists and Residents).
- Fire and Disaster Management Agency, #7119 emergency advice line areas (Japanese).
- Japan Coast Guard, 118: the emergency number for incidents at sea (Japanese).
Japan Info is not an emergency service. In an emergency, call 110 or 119.
Quick answers
What is the emergency number in Japan?
Call 110 for the police and 119 for fire or an ambulance. For emergencies at sea, call 118 for the Japan Coast Guard.
Is there an English-speaking help line for tourists in Japan?
Yes. The Japan National Tourism Organization's Japan Visitor Hotline, 050-3816-2787 (+81-50-3816-2787 from a foreign phone), answers 24 hours a day, every day, in English, Chinese and Korean.
Can I call 119 in English?
In Tokyo, emergency calls from non-Japanese speakers can use three-way interpretation in English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. Many other fire departments also offer interpretation, but availability depends on the area, so call 119 without waiting.
Which app gives earthquake and tsunami alerts in English in Japan?
The Japan Tourism Agency's free Safety tips app sends earthquake early warnings, tsunami warnings and other weather warnings in 15 languages including English.