Short answer. In Japan, call 110 for the police, 119 for fire and ambulance, and 118 for the Japan Coast Guard in incidents at sea 13. Foreign visitors can also call the Japan National Tourism Organization's 24-hour Japan Visitor Hotline, 050-3816-2787, in English, Chinese, Korean or Japanese, including for accidents, illness and disasters 2.
Which number do I call?
| Number | Service | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 110 | Police | 1 |
| 119 | Fire and ambulance | 3 |
| 118 | Japan Coast Guard: incidents and accidents at sea (since 1 May 2000) | 1 |
| 050-3816-2787 | Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO), 24 h, English, Chinese, Korean, Japanese | 2 |
Write these numbers on paper and keep them in your kit: phones can run out of battery.
Can I call 119 if I do not speak Japanese?
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency has been promoting nationwide, since 2017, three-way calls through a 24-hour telephone interpretation centre for 119 calls 3. Whatever the language, give your address first and describe what happened.
Who calls after a missile alert?
After the all-clear, the Cabinet Secretariat asks people not to approach suspicious objects and to call the police (110), fire service (119) or coast guard (118) 4. The alert messages are explained on the alerts page.
Which agencies publish official information?
- Cabinet Secretariat — civil protection, J-Alert missile information, evacuation facilities: https://www.kokuminhogo.go.jp/ 5
- Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) — operates J-Alert: https://www.fdma.go.jp/ 6
- Cabinet Office, Disaster Management — household stockpile benchmark: https://www.bousai.go.jp/
- Nuclear Regulation Authority — stable iodine: https://www.nra.go.jp/activity/bousai/measure/stableiodine.html 7
- Japan Tourism Agency — the Safety tips app for visitors: https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/ 2
Most of these sites are in Japanese. The Japan Tourism Agency's English page gathers information on illnesses, injuries and disasters for visitors 2.
What should I prepare before an emergency?
Keep the numbers with your ID and important papers (/guides/important-documents) and agree with your household where to meet if phones are down (/guides/family-plan).
Frequently asked questions
Which number do I call for the police or an ambulance?
110 for the police and 119 for fire and ambulance 13.
What number do I call for an emergency at sea?
118, the Japan Coast Guard, in service since 1 May 2000 1.
Is there an English helpline for tourists?
Yes: the JNTO Japan Visitor Hotline, 050-3816-2787, open 24 hours 2.
Is an ambulance call answered in English?
Interpretation through a 24-hour telephone interpretation centre has been promoted nationwide by the FDMA since 2017 3.
Sources
- 海上保安庁 (Japan Coast Guard) — 海の「もしも」は１１８番 — https://www.kaiho.mlit.go.jp/info/joho/tel118.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Japan Tourism Agency — Information on illnesses, injuries, and disasters — https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/en/shisaku/kokusai/traveltojapan.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
- 総務省消防庁 (FDMA) — 電話通訳センターを介した三者間同時通訳による多言語対応の推進について（消防消第８号、平成29年1月25日） — https://www.fdma.go.jp/laws/tutatsu/assets/290125_syou8.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
- 内閣官房 (Cabinet Secretariat) — 弾道ミサイル飛来時の行動 — https://www.kokuminhogo.go.jp/kokuminaction/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
- 内閣官房 (Cabinet Secretariat) — 避難施設 - 内閣官房 国民保護ポータルサイト — https://www.kokuminhogo.go.jp/hinan/index.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
- 総務省消防庁 (FDMA) — 全国瞬時警報システム（Jアラート）の概要 — https://www.fdma.go.jp/about/organization/post-18.html (accessed 2026-10-20)
- 原子力規制庁 (Nuclear Regulation Authority) — 安定ヨウ素剤の配布・服用に当たって（令和６年12月23日一部改正） — https://www.nra.go.jp/data/000480577.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
Turn this into action
Your plan for Japan, worked out for your household.
- Water, food and equipment counted for each person and pet
- The nuclear plants and zones around your home
- Phaenyx Safe: one tap to tell your people you are safe
Sources
- 海上保安庁 (Japan Coast Guard) · 海の「もしも」は１１８番 checked 2026-10-20
- Japan Tourism Agency · Information on illnesses, injuries, and disasters checked 2026-10-20
- 総務省消防庁 (FDMA) · 電話通訳センターを介した三者間同時通訳による多言語対応の推進について（消防消第８号、平成29年1月25日） checked 2026-10-20
- 内閣官房 (Cabinet Secretariat) · 弾道ミサイル飛来時の行動 checked 2026-10-20
- 内閣官房 (Cabinet Secretariat) · 避難施設 - 内閣官房 国民保護ポータルサイト checked 2026-10-20
- 総務省消防庁 (FDMA) · 全国瞬時警報システム（Jアラート）の概要 checked 2026-10-20
- 原子力規制庁 (Nuclear Regulation Authority) · 安定ヨウ素剤の配布・服用に当たって（令和６年12月23日一部改正） checked 2026-10-20