How to contact the fire department (for an ambulance) (Tel. 119)
In case of a sudden illness or injury, call the fire department for an ambulance (Tel. 119). In cases of minor injuries or normal illness, use a taxi or car, etc. to get to a hospital or clinic.

When you call the fire department (119), remain calm. Tell the officer (1) it is an emergency, (2) what happened, (3) your location (address or some landmarks), (4) your full name, and (5) the phone number from which you are calling.

The “119” call to the fire department is a free call. ￥10 coins or telephone cards are not necessary when calling from a public telephone.

When calling for an ambulance, be sure to have ready cards the sick or injured person holds if possible, such as a health insurance card or hospital/clinic card, for when the ambulance arrives.

In order to remain calm when making the call, it is a good idea to keep a note near your telephone, in hiragana or Roman letters, of your name, address and names of recognizable buildings, etc. near your residence.


When calling 119 (the fire department) from a mobile phone
(1)    When calling from a mobile phone, be sure to give the location (address) of where the call is being made from and the mobile phone number. If you do not know the address, use some buildings, etc. which can indicate the location, or call from the nearest public telephone.
(2)    It may be necessary for the fire department to call you back to check details of the location or circumstances, so after you have contacted the fire department, do not switch off the phone and remain at the scene.
(3)    If you are driving, stop the car in a safe place before making the call.


FAX 119
The FAX (facsimile) number is 0120-119221 (freecall).


Holidays (Night) Emergency Patient Services
There are emergency patient services in each district to treat emergency patients during holidays and at night. A dial-up inquiry service is available in Japanese.


Note 1   For details, ask a person who understands Japanese to enquire for you at your nearest fire department or police station.

Note 2   The information given is that confirmed as of July 2002. Note that a new system or system revisions may have been introduced after this date.

This information is from the CLAIR website. The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) was established in July 1988 in response to rising concerns about local level internationalization in Japan.