Jan 20, 2022
Calling 119 for Emergency Assistance in Japan
Dial 119 for the fire department or medical services
Dial 110 for police
119 in Japan is a direct-dial-free emergency number that connects the caller to fire and emergency medical services from any phone. Unlike emergency number services in many other countries, the 119 system in Japan only connects to fire or ambulance services. Police use a separate but similar emergency number, 110. Dialing either from a landline will automatically locate your position.
– Emergency_Assistance_PDF for Printing –
More than 90% or departments are using three-way call services to communicate in English and other foreign languages when dialing for ambulance or fire. However, it is highly recommended that you know some basic essential vocabulary in Japanese, or keep this cheat sheet near your phone at home in the even that any English speaking operator is unable to help you.
Basic Vocabulary:
- Fire KAJI DESU
- Car Accident JIDOUSHA JIKO DESU
- Ambulance KYUU KYUU DESU
- Police KEISATSU DESU
Ask a Neighbor / Passerby to Call for Help
- Please call an ambulance! KYUU KYUU SHA O YONDE KUDASI
- Please call the fire department! SHOBOSHA O YONDE KUDASAI
- Please call the police! KEISATSU O YONDE KUDASAI
Describing Your Emergency
- Bleeding SHUKKETSU DESU
- Broken bone KOSSETSU DESU
- Burn HIDOI YAKEDO DESU
- Difficulty breathing KOKYUU KONNAN DESU
- Convulsions KEIREN DESU
- Chest pains MUNE GA TAIHEN KURUSHII DESU
- High fever KOU NETSU DESU
- Injury KEGA DESU
- Poison DOKUBUTSU DESU
- Sick BYOUKI DESU
- Unconscious ISHIKI FUMEI DESU
To get Emergency Assistance by phone in Japan, Speak simply and clearly, in Japanese if possible, and explain:
- What you need – Police (110), Fire Department, Ambulance (119)
- What happened – Fire, Accident, Injury, Illness
- Where you are – Address
- Who you are – Name, phone number
Sample Phone Call to 119
This is neither precise nor exhaustive. It is designed to help you get a basic idea of what is required.
| 119: | SHOU BOU CHOU… KAJI DESU KA? KYUU KYUU DESU KA? (Fire department… Fire or ambulance?) |
| Caller: | KYUU KYUU DESU. (Ambulance)KAJI DESU (Fire) |
| 119: | DOU SHIMASHITA KA? (What happened?) |
| Caller: | (see “Describing Your Emergency” below) |
| 119: | JUSHO HA DOCHIRADESUKA? (What is the address?) – AND / OR – |
| 119: | NANI KU, NANI CHO, NANCHO ME, NAN BAN, NAN GO DESUKA?(Please give the ward (or city) name first, then town name and banchi number.) |
| Caller: | NAGOYA, NAKA KU, MARUNOUCHI, 3-17-6 4F NAKATO MARUNOUCHI BUILDING(see “Giving Your Address” below) |
| 119: | NAGOYA, NAKA KU, MARUNOUCH, 3-17-6 4F NAKATO MARUNOUCHI BUILDING (They will likely repeat your address) |
| 119: | ONAMAE HA (What is your name) |
| Caller: | YOUR NAME DESU |
| 119: | DENWA BANGO O OSHIETE KUDASAI ( What is your phone number) |
| Caller: | 052-973-3957 DESU |
Giving Your Address
The emergency operator needs to know how to find you to send help. “Landline” phones will automatically provide them with an address, but cellular phones will not, and the operator is very likely to confirm the automatically generated one. Regardless of why you should know your address and, if possible, how to give directions to your house in some semblance of Japanese. To begin with:
The ENGLISH address of the H&R Group in Tokyo is:
1F EXOS Ebisu 1-24-14 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku Tokyo 150-0013 Japan
Giving this address will confuse the emergency operator. They are looking for the address in the JAPANESE style, which is reversed from English.
Japan 150-0013 Tokyo, Shibuya-ku, Ebisu 1-24-14, 1F EXOS Ebisu
We hope this very basic guide will give you some idea of calling for Emergency Assistance in Japan.
Image: By PRiMENON (Own work) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0, GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
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