Emergency numbers in Japan: 110, 119 and the visitor hotline

The numbers to save

• 110: Police. Free to call, 24 hours a day.
• 119: Ambulance and fire. Say "kyukyu" (ambulance) or "kaji" (fire).
• 050-3816-2787: Japan Visitor Hotline, run by the Japan National Tourism Organization. English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese, 24 hours a day. From outside Japan, dial +81-50-3816-2787.

What to do when you call 110 or 119

• Stay calm and say what happened in simple words, for example "ambulance, please".
• Give your location: the address, a nearby landmark or station, or the name of your hotel.
• Staying on the line is important. Operators in big cities can often connect you to someone who speaks English, but it may take a moment.

When the hotline is the better choice

The Japan Visitor Hotline is useful when you are not in immediate danger but need help: you are ill and unsure where to go, you lost your passport, you need to find a hospital that treats foreigners, or you are caught in a disaster and need information.

Tip: install a disaster alert app

Japan has earthquakes, typhoons and heavy rain. A multilingual safety app for visitors can send alerts to your phone. See the source below for the official app.

FAQ

Sources

• Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO): Japan Visitor Hotline
• Japan Tourism Agency: leaflets for visitors (emergency contacts)

Related tips

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• Tax-free shopping in Japan: what changes from November 1, 2026From November 1, 2026, tax-free shopping in Japan switches to a refund system: you pay tax at the shop and claim it back at customs when you leave. Here is what that means for your trip.
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• Safety tips: the disaster alert app for visitors to JapanSafety tips is an app supervised by the Japan Tourism Agency. It sends push alerts for earthquakes, tsunami and severe weather, in 15 languages.
• What to do in an earthquake in Japan: official advice for visitorsProtect your head and get under something sturdy. Do not run outside, and do not try to put out a fire. If you are near the sea and feel strong shaking, move to higher ground.