Emergency
Medical Emergencies in Japan
What to do in a medical emergency in Japan — calling 119, how ambulance services work, what to tell dispatchers, and what to expect at an emergency department.
Anyone in Japan who may need to respond to a medical emergency — including foreign residents who may be unfamiliar with the Japanese emergency system.
Emergency numbers in Japan
119 — ambulance and fire. Call 119 for any medical emergency, fire, or rescue situation. This is the equivalent of 911, 999, or 000 in other countries. The line is free from all phones including mobile phones and public payphones. Dispatchers handle both ambulance and fire department responses.
110 — police. Call 110 for crimes in progress, accidents, or situations requiring police response. For a traffic accident involving injury, calling both 110 and 119 may be appropriate.
#7119 — non-emergency medical consultation. Japan operates a medical consultation advice service (救急安心センター, kyūkyū anshin sentā) in many major cities. Call #7119 to reach a nurse or physician who can help you assess whether your situation requires an ambulance, a visit to an emergency department, or can wait for a regular clinic appointment. This line helps reduce unnecessary 119 calls.
Calling 119
When you call 119, you will first be asked whether you need an ambulance (救急車, kyūkyūsha) or fire services (消防車, shōbōsha). Say “kyūkyūsha” (ambulance) if you need medical assistance.
The dispatcher will ask:
- Your location (住所, jūsho) — the most critical information. Give the nearest address, landmark, or intersection. Building names and room numbers are helpful in urban areas.
- What happened or the nature of the emergency
- The condition of the patient (age, symptoms, consciousness)
- Your phone number
If you cannot speak Japanese, say “English” (or your language) immediately. Major city dispatch centers have access to interpreter lines. Stay calm, speak clearly, and stay on the line until the dispatcher ends the call.
How ambulance dispatch works
Ambulance crews are dispatched from fire stations (消防署, shōbōsho), which in Japan operate both firefighting and emergency medical services. Ambulance response times are generally fast in urban areas. Crews carry basic and advanced life support equipment and begin assessment and stabilization en route to hospital.
The crew will decide which hospital to transport the patient to based on the clinical presentation and hospital availability. Hospitals with emergency departments (救急外来, kyūkyū gairai) are contacted by the crew to confirm they can accept the patient before arrival. For major trauma, cardiac events, and strokes, specialized receiving hospitals are selected according to prefectural emergency response protocols.
At the emergency department
Emergency departments in Japanese hospitals see all arriving patients, including those without referral letters and those without insurance cards. In a genuine emergency, neither the referral requirement nor the insurance card requirement prevents treatment.
Patients are triaged (トリアージ, toriaaju) on arrival according to acuity. Life-threatening conditions are seen immediately. Less urgent conditions may involve a wait, even in the emergency department. Bring your insurance card and any medication list if you can; if you cannot, treatment is not withheld.
After treatment, you will be billed for your standard copayment. If you were admitted, the billing process occurs during or after discharge. If you did not have your insurance card and paid out of pocket, keep all receipts for retroactive reimbursement.
Before an emergency happens
Prepare a simple emergency information card in Japanese and carry it in your wallet. It should list your name, blood type (if known), current medications, known allergies, and an emergency contact name and number. This is particularly valuable if you are alone and unable to communicate during an emergency.
Last reviewed: September 2026
Key terms
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Ambulance | 救急車 | kyūkyūsha |
| Emergency number | 緊急通報番号 | kinkyū tsūhō bangō |
| Emergency department | 救急外来 | kyūkyū gairai |
| Fire and ambulance dispatch | 消防署 | shōbōsho |
| First aid | 応急処置 | ōkyū shochi |
| Triage | トリアージ | toriaaju |
| Police emergency number | 警察 | keisatsu |
| Consultation line (non-emergency) | 救急安心センター | kyūkyū anshin sentā |
Common questions
- What is the emergency number in Japan?
- 119 is the combined ambulance and fire emergency number in Japan. 110 is the police emergency number. Both lines are free to call from any phone including mobile phones and payphones.
- What if I cannot speak Japanese when I call 119?
- Many 119 dispatch centers in major cities have access to telephone interpreters or English-speaking staff. State your language need immediately — 'English, please' — and the dispatcher will arrange interpretation if available. Tokyo Fire Department operates a 119 translation service. In areas without direct translation support, stay on the line and speak clearly.
- Is ambulance use free in Japan?
- Ambulance transportation is funded publicly and does not have a direct charge to the patient in most municipalities. However, some cities (notably Osaka from 2024) have begun charging for ambulance calls deemed non-urgent after review. Emergency department treatment costs your standard 30% insurance copayment plus any additional facility fees.
- Can I choose which hospital the ambulance takes me to?
- Generally no. Ambulance crews transport patients to the nearest facility capable of treating the condition, assessed by the crew and dispatch. For specific conditions (cardiac arrest, stroke, trauma), patients are taken to a hospital with the appropriate specialist capability.
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026