Emergency Calls
Emergency numbers are 110 (police), and 119 (Fire Department and emergency ambulance service). These numbers do not require an exchange prefix; they operate 24 hours a day and can be called from anywhere in Japan free of charge. You can use any public phone and mobile phones as well. When calling from a mobile phone, leave your phone on for a period of time in case the emergency number you called needs to contact you for further information.
To Report Crimes or Accidents to the Police, Dial 110
The following are the questions the police will
ask when you dial 110, along with answers for
you to practice:
① The officer: Nani ga arimashita ka? (What
happened?)
Your response: Jiko desu. (There was an accident.) or: Tonan desu. (There was a theft.)
② The officer: Basho wa doko desu ka?
(Where?)
Your response: XX-shi, YY-cho ZZ-banchi
desu. (It happened at ZZ, YY-cho in XX-shi.)
③ The officer: Anata no namae to jusho wa?
(What is your name and address?)
④ The officer: Shiyo no denwa bango wa?
(What is the number of the telephone you are
calling from?)
If you tell the officer that there are injured people, the police will dispatch an ambulance.
Theft
If your residence is broken into and your belongings are stolen, call the police immediately. If your bank deposit book(s) and credit card(s) are stolen, you should notify your bank and the credit card company as well as the police.
Traffic Accidents
If you are involved in a traffic accident, report the accident to the police no matter how insignificant it may seem. If there is an injured person, arrange for an ambulance to arrive. Even if you do not appear to be hurt or injured, be sure to be examined by a doctor to check for internal injuries: often, after-effects arise later, so be on the safe side.
In the event the accident involves another driver, be sure to get the license plate number of his/her car and his/her driver’s license number, name, address and age. In addition, obtain his/ her insurance company’s name and insurance policy number. If there are any witnesses, obtain their names and addresses.
To Report Fires or Request an Ambulance, Dial 119
Since the same number is used to report fires
and to request an ambulance, state which you
need when you dial 119.
① State which service you need: Kaji desu!
(There’s a fire!), or Kyukyu desu! (An ambulance is needed!)
② Give the location.
③ Give your name.
④ Give the number of the telephone you are using.
When giving a location to the emergency services, list prominent landmarks in addition to the address to aid them in reaching you quickly.
You can also call 119 in foreign languages 24 hours a day through an interpretation center. In this case, when Telephone, first tell them that you cannot speak Japanese.
Supported languages (21 languages): English, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, French, German, Italian, Russian, Nepali, Tagalog , Malay, Burmese, Khmer, Mongolian, Sinhala, Hindi, Bengali
Ambulances
[Ambulance usage guide for foreign visitors to Japan]
https://www.fdma.go.jp/publication/portal/post1.html
*From the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Fire and Disaster Management Agency emergency portal site
1 Ambulances are a limited resource Ambulances are used to transport injured or sick people to medical institutions in an emergency. When you call 119, the nearest ambulance to the scene will be dispatched, but if emergency calls overlap, an ambulance from a faraway place will be sent to the scene, delaying response to those who really need an ambulance, and potentially saving lives. You may not be able to save it.
2 Examples of incorrect use of ambulances - Ambulances are free (there is no taxi fare)
・Because I don't have a means of transportation ・Because I get priority treatment if I take an ambulance ・Because I don't know which hospital to go to ・Because it's out of clinic hours at night and on holidays
3 Is it really necessary? When in doubt,
・Funabashi Health Dial 24 0120-2784-37 (For Funabashi citizens only, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
・Emergency relief Telephone consultation
https://www.pref.chiba.lg.jp/iryou/soudan/ansindenwasoudan.html
*From the Chiba Prefectural Office website
Fire
If a fire breaks out, immediately report it to the fire department, use buckets, fire extinguishers, wet towels, etc. to extinguish the fire, and shout out to your neighbors for help. Also, when evacuating from a fire in a building or other building, people are likely to fall due to the smoke, so stay low and cover your mouth with a handkerchief to avoid breathing in the smoke.
