You are walking down a Japanese street and your chest tightens, cold sweat pours, no Japanese speaker around — which number do you call? 119 or 110? This guide walks through five real scenarios to explain how Japan’s emergency line works, plus a list of 24-hour multilingual (English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Thai) free hotlines to save in your phone before you fly.
The bottom line: 110 for police, 119 for ambulance and fire. Both are free, and public phones connect directly with no coins.
Japan’s emergency system splits differently from Taiwan or China — police and fire are two separate numbers. Do not mix them up.
One, 110: police. Crimes, traffic accidents, lost children, violence, suspicious persons.
Two, 119: fire plus ambulance. Fires, someone collapsing, severe bleeding, heart attacks, infant high fever, accidental injuries. 119 dispatches both ambulances and fire trucks — once connected, say 「救急車 (きゅうきゅうしゃ)」 for ambulance or 「消防車 (しょうぼうしゃ)」 for fire engine.
Three, 118: maritime accidents and coast guard (rarely used by tourists).
How to dial: from public phones, mobile, or hotel
Public phones: emergency calls work via the red emergency button (緊急ボタン) — dial 110 or 119 with no coins needed.
Mobile: dial 110 or 119 directly, free. Even with no data, no roaming, or no SIM, the Japanese local network will route emergency calls.
Hotel: dial 0 for the front desk, or reach an outside line directly (some hotels require 0 before 110).
Once connected, what do you say? Operators speak basic English, slowly
The first thing you hear on 119 is usually 「119、火事ですか、救急ですか?」 = 「This is 119 — fire or ambulance?」
Simple English works, but you may be routed to a multilingual operator (usually 30 to 60 extra seconds).
Suggested phrases (English is fine):
One, 「Help, I need ambulance」 / 「I need police」. Two, 「My location is [hotel name / station name / address]」. Three, 「Person is unconscious / bleeding / having chest pain」.
Your phone’s GPS helps responders find you — unlocking your phone to show them Google Maps is much faster than reciting an address.
Multilingual hotlines: 24/7, free, Mandarin and Cantonese available
If the situation is not 「life or death in 60 seconds」, calling a multilingual hotline first can save stress.
One, JNTO Japan Visitor Hotline: +81-50-3816-2787. 24 hours, English, Chinese, Korean, free. Beyond emergencies, you can also ask about transit and lodging.
Two, Police Agency multilingual hotline (alternative to 110 in non-critical situations): Chinese, English, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Thai, Filipino, Vietnamese (check the latest before you fly).
Three, Tokyo Fire Department emergency line: in Tokyo, after dialing 119 you can request three-way multilingual translation (English, Chinese, Korean 24/7; other languages have limited hours).
Specialized medical lines
One, Tokyo emergency advice line #7119: when symptoms feel borderline and you are unsure about calling an ambulance, medical staff help you triage. #7119 is available in Tokyo, Osaka, Kanagawa, Chiba, Gifu, Nara, and Fukuoka.
Two, #8000 pediatric emergency advice: nationwide, free overnight consultation for child emergencies (weekday evenings and holidays).
Scenario one: traveling companion has sudden chest pain and cold sweats
Dial 119 immediately → 「救急車、お願いします」 (ambulance please) → give location → wait. Do not call Uber or a taxi here — Japanese ambulances are free, and Uber has no medical equipment.
Scenario two: lost wallet or passport
Do not call 110. Go to the nearest 「交番 (koban)」 (street-corner police box). Officers help you file a lost-item report and issue an 「遺失届 (ishitsu-todoke)」. For lost passports, take this slip to your country’s embassy or office in Japan (Taiwan → Taipei Representative Office, China → Chinese Embassy, Hong Kong → Hong Kong Trade Office in Tokyo) to apply for a replacement.
Scenario three: traffic accident (minor injuries)
Dial 119 (ambulance) and 110 (police report). All traffic accidents in Japan require police involvement — even if the other party offers to settle privately, insurance will not pay without an official record. Police will help translate the paperwork.
Scenario four: restaurant food poisoning
Mild symptoms (diarrhea, nausea) → call #7119. Severe symptoms (dehydration, high fever) → 119 ambulance to the hospital → after treatment, take receipts to the public health bureau (保健所) to file a report. Restaurants can lose their business license.
Scenario five: earthquake (mild shaking)
Do not call anyone. Take cover under a desk or beside a pillar, wait for shaking to stop. If a building collapses and someone is trapped, call 119. Open NHK World or Yahoo! 防災 on your phone for live earthquake info.
Pro tip: save these numbers before you fly
Recommended contacts list:
One, 110 (police). Two, 119 (fire and ambulance). Three, +81-50-3816-2787 (JNTO 24h tourist hotline). Four, #7119 (Tokyo emergency advice) — use in eligible regions. Five, your country’s office in Japan (Taiwan +81-3-3280-7811, Chinese Embassy +81-3-3403-3380, Hong Kong Trade Office +81-3-3556-8990).
Pro tip two: backup phone or dual SIM
Dead battery or roaming failure is the most common failure mode. Carry a backup phone (an old handset plus a prepaid SIM) and an emergency card with hotel phone, your name, and any drug allergies — both are 「just in case」 insurance.
Before you fly, download the standard kit: Yahoo! 防災速報, NHK World, and Japan Travel by NAVITIME.