Living in Japan: Emergency Numbers and Other Hotlines You’ve Never Heard Of

Being in Japan, you’ve probably heard of119  and110  but have you heard of the hotlines for when you’re unsure whether you should call the emergency numbers or not? How about a number that could help you escape from a boring date or any unpleasant situation where you just need an excuse to leave? Oh yes, there’s a number for that.

Japan really is the land of the things-you-never-thought-you-needed-in-your-life… the land of convenience! And I know it is the age of smartphones but you’ll never know when you’d need some good old fashioned 3-digit dial to save you from an emergency or a simple trouble.

Let’s start with the basics..

Numbers to Call in Japan in Case of Emergency

• 110 Police (toll-free)

Call to report an accident or crime. This line directs you to the police call center. English is available in some areas. 

• 119 Fire, Ambulance, Emergency Rescue (toll-free)

Call to report a fire, ask for an ambulance or rescue service. English is available in some areas.

• 118 Ocean Emergency (toll-free)

Call to report an accident or crime at sea. This line directs you to the Japan Coast Guard. These are sample situations:

*Someone is drowning

*You found a suspicious ship in the ocean

*You’ve heard that there will be a ship for stowaways

When you’re not sure if you should call the emergency numbers

• Not sure if you should call 110? Call #9110 (toll-free)

To insure a fast response to urgent 110 calls, people are advised to use #9110 to consult the police on non-urgent matters. This helpline could be used to report things like stalking, spousal abuse, child abuse, juvenile delinquency and fraudulent trading.

• Not sure if you should call 119? Call #7119 (toll-free)

If you’re not sure if your case qualifies as an emergency, you can dial #7119. The phone consultation team consists of doctors, nurses and EMS qualified staff who can respond to your inquiries. They can provide you with an advice on your emergency level and if needed, hospital information.

There’s also an online self-check Q&A form for injured or sick people who are not sure whether they should call an ambulance or just go to the hospital. The website is Tokyo EMS Guide but anyone can actually use it. It’s in English so make sure to bookmark it on your phone for easy access!

But wait there’s more…

Convenience Hotlines in Japan

• 117 Time

Call to know the exact time over the phone. Only in Japanese.

• 114 Check if the one you’re trying to call is on another call
  

You’ve been calling someone but it seems that their line is busy. Call this hotline to know if they are on another call or just blocking your number!

• 159 Check if the one you’re trying to call is done with their current call

Don’t waste your time trying to call someone multiple times and guessing when they will finally pick up. When you call this hotline, you will be notified once the number you’re trying to call becomes available.

• 111 Call Back (For Docomo users only)

When you’re stuck in a boring meeting or a terrible date and you just wanna escape the situation, this hotline might be able to save you. Secretly call this number and your phone will be ringing moments later. Answer the call then pretend to talk to someone. Voila! There’s your sweet escape!

How can I help you?

If you’re in need of a trustworthy bilingual go-to person who can help you with your troubles, whether it’s emergency-related like calling hospitals and booking appointments, money-related like applying for financial aids from the government, or any other tasks that could help make your life in Japan easier, you’re at the right place because AKIKO DESU is exactly that. As your dedicated virtual assistant, I will help you with tasks that you find difficult to do on your own or just mendokusai. If there’s anything you’d like to ask, just reach out to me anytime.

• Who is Akiko?
• What are the offered services?
• What do clients say about me?
• Where is the contact form?

Waiting to hear from you, 

AKIKO