Emergency contactsSeek emergency care first
If someone is seriously ill or injured right now, call 119 for an ambulance and seek immediate emergency care. The call is free, 24 hours a day, from any phone. Japan Visitor Hotline, 24/7: 050-3816-2787. The hotline offers visitor assistance in English, Chinese and Korean. It is separate from ambulance dispatch. JNTO: emergency numbers and visitor hotline
This guide explains numbers, calls and paperwork. It does not assess symptoms or decide whether you need an ambulance.
In shortThe numbers
| Number | What it is | When people use it |
|---|
| 119 | Fire and ambulance | A life- or health-threatening emergency, or a fire |
| 110 | Police | Crime, accidents and danger involving others |
| #7119 | Emergency advice line (救急安心センター) | When you are unsure whether an ambulance is needed. Staff can advise and point you to an open facility |
| #8000 | Children's medical advice line (子ども医療電話相談) | The same question, for a child |
| 050-3816-2787 | Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO) | Visitor help in English, Chinese and Korean, 24 hours a day, including help finding care |
Two things to know:
- #7119 is not available everywhere. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency lists 42 areas where it runs, each with its own hours. In Tokyo it runs 24 hours a day. If it does not connect where you are, use the visitor hotline or 119. FDMA: #7119 areas and hours
- #8000 hours vary by prefecture. It is a nationwide short number that forwards to your prefecture's line. MHLW: #8000 children's medical advice
Both advice lines are staffed in Japanese. If Japanese is a barrier, the visitor hotline handles English, Chinese and Korean. From outside Japan, dial +81-50-3816-2787.
The callWhat the 119 dispatcher asks
Dispatchers work through a fixed set of questions. The City of Yokohama publishes this order: City of Yokohama: calling emergency services
- Is it a fire (火事, kaji) or an emergency (救急, kyūkyū)?
- Where are you? Give the address, including the building name and room number. If you do not know it, describe a nearby station, shop or landmark.
- What happened? Who is ill or hurt, and what is wrong. You may be asked whether the person is conscious, breathing, or able to talk or walk.
- Your name and the number of the phone you are calling from.
Stay on the line until the dispatcher tells you to hang up, and keep the phone free for a callback. If you can, unlock the door and go outside to guide the crew in when you hear the siren.
Some fire departments connect 119 calls to telephone interpreters. The City of Osaka lists English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. Coverage differs between cities, so do not hang up if you hear only Japanese. Say your language slowly, use the card below, or ask a hotel desk or someone nearby to help. City of Osaka: accidents and emergencies
After hoursNight, Sunday and holiday clinics
Many clinics close in the early evening. Cities and wards run *holiday and night emergency clinics (休日夜間急患センター, kyūjitsu yakan kyūkan sentā)* for urgent problems outside normal hours. They are staffed on rotation, and each sets its own hours. They are not full hospital emergency departments.
To find the nearest one, ask the visitor hotline, #7119 where it runs, or your hotel. Finding a hospital in your language explains the official national facility search, and the [clinic finder](/en/clinics?open=now#results) can show clinics open now, in the evening or at weekends.
After the callPaperwork and costs
Calling 119 and the dispatch of an ambulance are free. City of Yokohama Treatment at the hospital is charged.
- With Japanese public health insurance, show your proof of coverage and pay your insured share.
- Without Japanese insurance, expect to pay the hospital yourself and claim from your travel insurer afterwards.
If they are readily available, bring identification, insurance details, a medicine list and an emergency contact. Do not delay the call while you look for them.
Before you leave the hospital, ask for the receipt (領収書, ryōshūsho) and the itemised statement (診療明細書, shinryō meisaisho). If your insurer needs a medical certificate (診断書, shindansho), ask the hospital how to request it and how long it takes. Clinical decisions and discharge instructions come from the treating team.
Official sourcesSources and review
Official sources accessed 24 October 2026. Advice-line coverage and hours change as prefectures join or extend them, so check the FDMA and MHLW pages for current details. This is navigation information, not a clinical review.
Information provided for planning purposes only. No diagnosis, treatment recommendations, or direct booking services.