Emergency Numbers
Hopefully it will never happen to you, but if you do have an emergency, it can get get quite confusing in Japan, given the variety of numbers to call. Then on top of that is the language barrier. Most emergency numbers can handle English calls but the operator’s English skill probably won’t be that great. They’ll be nervous about speaking English, especially in an emergency situation, so speak slowly and clearly and try to keep calm.
The emergency number is NOT 9-1-1, like it is in North America. It’s the reverse: 1-1-9. Kind of a neat way of remembering it. You’re on the other side of the world, so the emergency number is reversed.
However: This number is only applicable for fire and ambulance services. To get the Police, the number is 110. Better still, to get the English-speaking police hotline, the number is (Tokyo area code) 03-3501-0110. Not an easy number to memorise, certainly. Best to key it into your phone’s contacts.
There are quite a few English services numbers in Tokyo and around Japan. You’ll find a good list here. If you know of any more, please comment with details.
Link:
Metropolis
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