Skip to content
ViMaiEducation & Technology Ecosystem

How to call 119 in Japan: ambulance and emergency numbers

Updated: October 2026

In an emergency, a few simple Japanese phrases and a written address help the ambulance reach you faster. Here are Japan's national emergency numbers and what to say.

Emergency numbers to remember

NumberUse it forNotes
119Ambulance and fireFree, 24 hours, from mobile or landline.
110Police: traffic accidents, theft, threatsFree, 24 hours.
#7119Unsure whether you need an ambulance or should go to hospital nowEmergency advice line; not available in every prefecture. If it does not connect and it is urgent, call 119.
#8000A sick child in the evening or on holidaysPrefectural child health phone advice; hours vary by area.

When to call 119 at once

  • Unconscious, not responding, or a seizure that does not stop.
  • Difficulty breathing, or sudden severe chest or back pain.
  • Sudden drooping face, weakness or numbness on one side, or slurred speech.
  • A sudden, severe headache unlike any before.
  • Heavy bleeding that will not stop, large burns, or a serious accident.
  • A severe allergic reaction: facial swelling or difficulty breathing after food or medicine.

If it looks dangerous, do not hesitate: call 119. The ambulance itself is free; hospital treatment is charged as usual.

What to say on 119

  1. The operator asks: 「火事ですか、救急ですか」(Kaji desu ka, kyūkyū desu ka? – Fire or ambulance?) Answer: 「救急です」 (kyūkyū desu – Ambulance).
  2. Address: 「住所は〇〇です」(Jūsho wa ... desu). Read your address in Japanese from a note. If you are outside, give the nearest building, shop or crossing.
  3. What happenedFor example: 「30歳の男性が倒れて、意識がありません」 (A 30-year-old man has collapsed and is unconscious).
  4. Your name and phone numberKeep your phone free so they can call back. If you cannot speak Japanese, say 「ベトナム語」 (Vietnamese) or 「英語」 (English): many fire departments offer three-way phone interpreting.

Japanese keywords for an emergency call

If you cannot manage full sentences, say the key words clearly, then read out your address. Do not hang up until the operator tells you to.

JapaneseReadingMeaning
救急車をお願いしますきゅうきゅうしゃをおねがいしますPlease send an ambulance
意識がありませんいしきがありませんThey are unconscious
息ができませんいきができませんCannot breathe
胸が痛いですむねがいたいですChest pain
血が止まりませんちがとまりませんThe bleeding will not stop
子どもがけいれんしていますこどもがけいれんしていますA child is having a seizure
日本語がわかりませんにほんごがわかりませんI don't understand Japanese

While you wait for the ambulance

  • Insurance, residence card, medicine notebook (お薬手帳) or current medicines, money and shoes.
  • Unlock the door and turn on the lights; if someone else is there, ask them to meet the ambulance outside.
  • Note when it happened and what you did (medicine taken, first aid given).
  • Keep your home address written in Japanese somewhere easy to see, such as on the fridge.
ViCare

How ViCare helps

ViCare's Emergency screen shows what to say on 119 in Japanese with your saved address filled in, plus 110, #7119 and #8000. Your emergency info (allergies, conditions, contact) appears in Japanese to show paramedics.

Coming soon to the App Store · Coming soon to Google Play

See the ViCare app

Quick answers

Does calling 119 cost money?
The call and the public ambulance are free. Hospital consultation, tests and treatment are charged as usual under your insurance.
Does #7119 work everywhere?
No. #7119 is only available in prefectures and cities that run it. Others may have a different advice line; in an emergency, call 119 directly.
When should I call #8000?
When your child is unwell in the evening or on a holiday and you are unsure whether to go now or wait until morning. Hours are set by each prefecture. If the child has difficulty breathing, a seizure or is very drowsy, call 119.

Related guides

This article is general reference information and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or public office. Rules can differ by municipality and change over time; check with your clinic or city office.

The ViMai ecosystem

Zalo