Japan Emergency Number: 110 for Police, 119 for Ambulance
Dial 110 for the police and 119 for an ambulance or fire; both are free and available 24 hours. If you lose something, go to a koban, the small police box, and many lost items are returned.
Video out Oct 12The 19-second video, with Hako. Follow on YouTube to catch it.
The 3 things to know
110 for the police
Call 110 for the police. Many areas offer interpretation in English and other languages.
119 for an ambulance or fire
Call 119 for an ambulance or fire.
Lost something? Go to a koban
Lost something? Go to a koban, a small police box. Tell the koban or station staff where and when you lost it, because many lost items come back.
Quick answers
What is the police number in Japan?
Dial 110 for the police. For an ambulance or fire, dial 119; both are free and open 24 hours.
Is there English help for emergencies in Japan?
For multilingual help, call the JNTO Japan Visitor Hotline at 050-3816-2787. Many areas offer English interpretation for 110 and 119, but not every area does.
What is a koban?
A koban is a small police box. Tell the koban or station staff where and when you lost something, since many lost items are found and returned.
Read the video transcript
In trouble in Japan? Know these numbers.
One. Call one one zero for the police.
Two. Call one one nine for an ambulance or fire.
Three. Lost something? Go to a koban, a small police box. Many lost items come back.
Stay safe out there.
Sources & how we checked
The tips on this page were checked against these official pages:
- mlit.go.jpJapan Tourism Agency - Safety information for visitors (PDF)
- english.metro.tokyo.lg.jpTokyo Metropolitan Police - Lost property system
- Updated
- Video
- 19 seconds, made by Ready in Japan
- Good to know
- Rules can vary by place. Follow local signs and staff.
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