Emergency Guide — What to Do When Trouble Strikes in Tokyo

Emergency Numbers at a Glance

Save these in your phone right now.

110

Police

Crime, accidents, threats

119

Fire & Ambulance

Medical emergencies, fire

#7119

Medical Advice

Not sure if it’s an emergency?

#9110

Police (Non-Emergency)

Consultation, noise, disputes

171

Disaster Message Line

Leave/check messages after disasters

How to Call Household Disasters Lost Items Hospital Mental Health All Helplines

How to Call for Help

What to say when you dial 110 or 119.

Calling 119 (Fire/Ambulance)

Say 救急車です (kyūkyūsha desu — I need an ambulance) or 火事です (kaji desu — there’s a fire)
Give your location: address or nearby landmark
Your name and phone number
English interpreters are available 24/7 via the Tokyo Fire Department
Stay calm and speak slowly

Calling 110 (Police)

Describe what happened
Give your location
Your name and phone number
English support may be available via interpreter
For non-emergencies, use #9110 instead

Calling #7119 (Medical Consultation)

Not sure if you need an ambulance? Call here first
Nurses and medical staff provide advice
They’ll tell you if you need 119 or can wait
Available 24/7 in Tokyo

Tip: Ambulance rides in Japan are free — they are operated by the fire department, not private companies. Don’t hesitate to call 119 in a real emergency.

Household Emergencies

Toilet clogged? Power out? Gas smell? Here’s who to call.

Toilet Clogged / Water Issues

Seikatsu Suido Center: 0120-77-5977 (24/7, free call)
Also handles water leaks and pipe issues
Try a plunger first — available at 100-yen shops and home centers
Contact your landlord/management company too

Power Outage

TEPCO (Tokyo Electric): 0120-995-002
Backup: 03-6374-8936
Check if breaker tripped (ブレーカー/burēkā) — common with too many appliances
TEPCO outage map available online

Gas Smell

Tokyo Gas Emergency: 0570-002299
Backup: 03-6735-8899
Do NOT use switches, flames, or electronics
Open windows immediately
Leave the room and call from outside

Locked Out

Search "鍵開け" (kagi ake) for locksmiths
Visit nearest 交番 (kōban / police box) for referral
Expect: ~20 min wait, 5–15 min to open
Bring ID with your address
Cost: ¥8,000–¥15,000 typically

Water Leak (from upstairs, etc.)

Contact your building management FIRST
Take photos/video for evidence
Move valuables away from the leak
Tokyo Waterworks Bureau: for city water issues

Pest Issues

Cockroach spray: available at any drugstore (ゴキジェット / Gokijet is popular)
For serious infestations: contact building management
Professional exterminators (害虫駆除 / gaichū kujo) available
Prevention: keep drains clean, seal food, use boric acid traps

Natural Disasters

Tokyo is earthquake-prone and typhoon-affected. Be prepared, not scared.

Earthquakes

During: Duck, cover, hold. Get under a table or doorway
After: Check for gas leaks, open doors (prevent jamming)
Move away from windows and heavy furniture
Don’t use elevators
Follow your ward’s evacuation instructions

Typhoons

Season: July–October
Stock up on food, water, batteries before the storm
Stay indoors during the typhoon
Trains will stop — check schedules via app
Avoid rivers and low-lying areas (flooding risk)

Essential Apps (Download NOW)

Safety Tips — Alerts in 15 languages (earthquake, tsunami, weather)
Yahoo! Bosai (防災速報) — Fastest alerts (Japanese only)
Tokyo Disaster Preparedness — Evacuation maps + simulations
NHK World — English news + disaster updates

Emergency Kit Essentials

3 days of water (2L per person per day)
Non-perishable food + can opener
Flashlight + extra batteries
First aid kit
Phone charger (portable battery)
Copy of passport + residence card
Cash (ATMs may be down)

Know Your Evacuation Center: Every neighborhood has a designated evacuation center (避難所 / hinanjo), usually a school or community center. Ask your ward office for the nearest one or check the Tokyo Disaster Preparedness app. There are approximately 3,000 evacuation sites across Tokyo.

Lost Items & Police Boxes

Japan’s lost-and-found system is legendary. There’s a good chance you’ll get your stuff back.

Visit a Koban (交番)

Police boxes are small police stations on street corners. They handle lost property reports.

Bring photo ID (passport or residence card)
Describe the item, location, and time lost
Provide a Japanese phone number (police don’t make international calls)
You’ll get a reference number — keep it!

Recovery Rates

Japan’s honesty culture means incredibly high return rates:

Mobile phones: ~83% recovered
Wallets: ~65% recovered
Items often returned the same day

Lost on a Train?

Go to the lost and found counter (忘れ物センター / wasure-mono center) at any major station
Or contact the train company’s lost property center
Items are kept for 3–4 days at the station, then transferred to Tokyo Metropolitan Police Lost Property Center

Hospital & Medical Emergencies

How the Japanese medical system works — it’s different from what you might expect.

How ER Works in Japan

Big hospitals generally don’t accept walk-ins for emergencies
Call 119 for an ambulance — they will find the right hospital for you
For non-emergencies: visit a local clinic (診療所 / shinryōjo) first
Clinics give referral letters for specialist hospitals
Ambulance ride is free

Finding English-Speaking Doctors

AMDA International Medical Info Center: 03-6233-9266 (Mon–Fri 10AM–4PM)
They connect you with doctors who speak your language
Tokyo Metropolitan Health Info Center: 03-5285-8181 (9AM–8PM)
Many clinics in Roppongi, Hiroo, Azabu areas have English staff

What to Bring

Health insurance card (国民健康保険証)
Residence card
Cash (some clinics don’t take cards)
List of current medications (in English is fine)
With insurance: you pay 30% of the bill

Mental Health Support

Moving to a new country is stressful. Support is available in English.

TELL Japan (Tokyo English Life Line)

Lifeline: 03-5774-0992 (9AM–11PM daily)
Chat: telljp.com/lifeline (Fri–Sun 10:30PM–2AM)
Counseling: 03-4550-1146 (professional, sliding scale fees)
Confidential, anonymous support
Over 50 years serving the international community

Other Support Lines

Japan Helpline: 0570-000-911 (24/7, English)
Japan Visitor Hotline: 050-3816-2787 (24/7, English/Chinese/Korean)
FRAC (Foreign Residents Advisory Center): 03-5320-7744 (Mon–Fri 9:30AM–5PM)

All English Helplines

Keep this list saved in your phone.

Service	Number	Hours
Police (Emergency)	110	24/7
Fire / Ambulance	119	24/7
Medical Consultation	#7119	24/7
Police (Non-Emergency)	#9110	24/7
TELL Japan Lifeline	03-5774-0992	9AM–11PM
Japan Helpline	0570-000-911	24/7
AMDA Medical Info	03-6233-9266	Mon–Fri 10AM–4PM
Tokyo Gas Emergency	0570-002299	24/7
TEPCO (Power)	0120-995-002	24/7
Water Emergency	0120-77-5977	24/7

Emergency & Trouble Guide