Home > Useful References

Emergencies

Although Japan is modern and safe, it is always useful to be prepared. This chapter provides some background information and useful references for essential services and emergencies.

In case of Emergency

Call the following numbers in case of an emergency. (Toll-free)

Police Consultation Services in English

03-3501-0110 (8:30am-5:15pm/Mon-Fri)

Making an emergency call from a public phone

In the event of an emergency such as sudden sickness, fire, accident or crime involvement, please dial the emergency numbers for help. Even with public phones, you can call these numbers for free. Ambulances and fire engines are free of charge.

Koban
A Koban (local police box), is a small building where police officers are stationed 24 hours a day. The work if the police officers in a Koban includes, but is not limited to, patrolling the area, dealing with accidents/incidents, filing reports of lost and found property and giving directions.
Japan Helpline

Provides assistance services for foreign residents, from simple questions to emergencies.
0570-000-911 24hrs., Daily

Tokyo English Life Line (TELL)

TELL offers anonymous telephone counseling in English for the international and Japanese community. Trained telephone counselors provide support on a wide range of issues.
03-5774-0992 9:00am-11:00pm, Daily

Fire and Disaster Management Agency
Living Information
Metropolitan Police Department
Tokyo Fire Department Multilingual Page

Earthquakes

Japan is extremely prone to earthquakes, so you should take the following precautions:

  • Prepare an emergency survival kit with food supplies and your identity documents and keep them in a place that is easily accessible.
  • Keep all exits clear and have large items such as your TV, computer, cupboards, and bookshelves fixed properly to prevent them from toppling. Secure any breakables.
  • Learn how to extinguish any fires which can be caused by a small earthquake. Know where your local emergency centers are and check these locations for further information on earthquake preparedness.

Typhoons

The typhoon season in Japan is from August through October, so it is important to be aware of the hazards of strong winds and heavy rains. Below are some guidelines to follow so you can minimize possible damages.

  • Close and lock windows properly.
  • Move anything indoors that is breakable or that can be caught in a wind gust and thrown off a balcony. This includes plants, pots, and even some patio furniture.
  • Check the TV or radio for updated weather reports and road conditions. Find out beforehand where English news is broadcast.
InterFM
On InterFM (76.1 MHz), disaster information will be broadcast in multiple languages in the event of an emergency.

Municipal Offices and Embassies

Here are some of the best resources for when you have any questions about your life in Japan. For further information, call your local municipal office directly or check on its website. If you live in the Yokohama area, call the Yokohama-shi Call Center.

Municipal Offices

Tokyo Metropolitan Government

03-5320-7744 (Foreign Resident’s Advisory Center, Mon-Fri 9:30am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-5:00pm)

Adachi 03-3880-5177
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon-Fri 9:30am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-3:30pm)
Arakawa 03-3802-3111 ext. 2145, 2146
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 1st Thu of the month: 1:00pm-4:00pm)
Bunkyo 03-5803-1200
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Tue & Fri: 12:00pm-5:00pm)
Chiyoda 03-3264-2111 ext. 2254
(Consultation for Foreigners, Mon, Wed, Fri: 8:30am-3:30pm)
Chuo 03-3543-0211
Edogawa 03-3653-5151
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon: 1:00pm-4:00pm)
Itabashi 03-5375-3344
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 1st & 3rd Fri of the month: 1:00pm-4:00pm, 2nd & 4th Fri of the month: 9:00am-12:00pm)
Katsushika 03-5654-8617
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon: 12:30pm-4:30pm)
Kita 03-3908-1101
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 2nd & 4th Tue of the month: 1:00pm-4:00pm)
Koto 03-3647-2364
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 2nd & 4th Thu of the month: 1:00pm-4:00pm)
Meguro 03-5722-9187
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon-Fri: 9:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-5:00pm)
Minato 03-5472-3710 (Minato Call, Daily, 7:00am-11:00pm)
Nakano 03-3389-1611
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 2nd & 4th Thu of the month: 1:00pm-4:00pm)
Nerima 03-3994-4725
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon-Fri: 1:00pm-5:00pm)
Ota 03-5744-1139
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 2nd Thu of the month: 1:00pm-3:00pm)
Setagaya 03-5432-2892
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon-Fri: 8:30am-12:00pm 1:00pm-5:00pm)
Shibuya 03-3463-1142
(Mon-Fri: 9:00am-5:00pm)
Shinagawa 03-5742-6842
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Tue: 9:00am-5:00pm)
Shinjuku 03-5272-5060
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon-Fri: 9:30am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:30pm)
Suginami 03-3312-2111
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Tue: 10:00am-12:00pm, Thu: 1:00pm-4:00pm)
Sumida 03-5608-1616
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Wed: 1:00pm-3:00pm)
Taito 03-5246-1025
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 1st & 3rd Thu of the month: 10:00am-12:00pm)
Toshima 03-3981-1111
   
Akiruno 042-558-1111
Akishima 042-544-5111
Chofu 042-481-7111
Fuchu 042-366-1711
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon-Fri: 8:30am-5:00pm)
Fussa 042-551-1511
Hachioji 042-642-7091
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon-Sat: 10:00am-5:00pm)
Hamura 042-555-1111
Higashi-Kurume 042-470-7777
Higashi-Murayama 042-393-5111 ext. 2558
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri: 9:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm)
Higashi-Yamato 042-563-2111
Hino 042-585-1111
Inagi 042-378-2111
Kiyose 042-492-5111
Kodaira 042-341-1211
Koganei 042-387-9818
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 3rd Tue of the month: 10:00am-12:00pm)
Kokubunji 042-325-0111
Komae 03-3430-1111
Kunitachi 042-576-2111 ext. 178
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 2nd Mon of the month: 10:00am-12:00pm)
Machida 042-722-4260
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Thu & Sat: 1:30pm-3:30pm)
Mitaka 0422-44-6600
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 2nd Fri of the month: 1:00pm-4:00pm)
Musashimurayama 042-565-1111
Musashino 0422-56-2922
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Tue-Sat: 9:00am-5:00pm)
Nishi-Tokyo 042-461-0381
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon-Fri: 10:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm)
Ome 0428-22-1111
Tachikawa 042-527-0310
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Wed&Sat: 1:00pm-4:00pm)
Tama 042-355-2118
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 1st&3rd Thu of the month: 1:30pm-4:30pm)
Kanagawa Prefectural Government

045-324-2299 (Consultation Service Foreigners, 1st/3rd/5th Tuesdays of the month 9:00am-4:00pm)

City of Yokohama 045-664-2525
(Call center, English: Mon-Fri 10:00am-11:30pm, 12:30pm-4:30pm, 2nd&4th Saturdays: 10:00am-12:30pm)
045-633-3344
(Consultation Services for Foreigners, every Friday 1:00pm-4:00pm)
Aoba-ku 045-978-2323 (Japanese only)
Asahi-ku 045-954-6161 (Japanese only)
Hodogaya-ku 045-337-0012
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon-Sat: 10:00am-7:00pm, Sun: 10:00am-6:00pm)
Isogo-ku 045-750-2323 (Japanese only)

Izumi-ku 045-800-2323 (Japanese only)
Kanagawa-ku 045-411-7171 (Japanese only)
Kanazawa-ku 045-788-7878 (Japanese only)
Kohoku-ku 045-540-2323 (Japanese only)
Konan-ku 045-848-0990
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 2nd & 4th Wed: 9:00am-1:00pm)
Midori-ku 045-930-2323 (Japanese only)
Minami-ku 045-743-8282 (Japanese only)
Naka-ku 045-224-8181 (Japanese only)
Nishi-ku 045-320-8484 (Japanese only)
Sakae-ku 045-894-8335 (Japanese only)
Seya-ku 045-367-5656 (Japanese only)
Totsuka-ku 045-866-8484 (Japanese only)
Tsurumi-ku

045-510-1818 (Japanese only)

Kawasaki City 044-200-3939 (Kawasaki Contact center, Daily: 8:00am-9:00pm)
044-549-7000
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon-Sat: 10:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm)
Aso-ku 044-965-5119
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 1st & 3rd Thu of the month: 9:30pm-12:00pm)
Kawasaki-ku 044-201-3132
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 1st & 3rd Thu of the month: 2:00pm-4:30pm)
Miyamae-ku 044-856-3113 (Japanese only)
Nakahara-ku 044-744-3113 (Japanese only)
Saiwai-ku 044-556-6666 (Japanese only)
Takatsu-ku 044-861-3113
Tama-ku

044-935-3113 (Japanese only)

Atsugi City

046-225-2100 (Consultation Service for Foreigners, Thu: 1:00pm-4:00pm)

Ayase City

0467-77-1111 (Japanese only)

Ebina City

046-231-2111

Fujisawa City

0466-25-1111 ext. 2573
(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon-Fri: 8:30am-11:30am, 1:00pm-4:00pm)

Hadano City

0463-82-5111

Hiratsuka City

0463-23-1111 (Japanese only)

Sagamihara City 042-769-8319

(Consultation Service for Foreigners, 3rd Wed of the month: 9:00am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm)

Yamato City 046-263-1261

(Consultation Service for Foreigners, Mon- Fri: 9:00am-12:00am, 1:00pm-5:00pm)

Yokosuka City 046-822-2500

(Call center, 8:00am-8:00pm)

Zama City 046-255-1111

Embassies in Tokyo

For a full listing of embassies in Japan, please check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
North America
Embassy of Canada
03-5412-6200
Embassy of Mexico
03-3581-1131
Embassy of the United States
03-3224-5000
Central and South America
Embassy of Argentina
03-5420-7101
Embassy of Bolivia
03-3499-5441
Embassy of the Federative Republic of Brazil
03-3404-5211
Embassy of Chile
03-3452-7561
Embassy of Colombia
03-3440-6451
Embassy of Cuba
03-5770-3182
Embassy of the Dominican Republic
03-3499-6020
Embassy of Ecuador
03-3499-2800
Embassy of Jamaica
03-3435-1861
Embassy of the Republic of Paraguay
03-3265-5273
Embassy of the Republic of Peru
03-3406-4243
Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
03-3409-1501
Europe
Austrian Embassy
03-3451-8281
Embassy of the Republic of Belarus
03-3448-1623
Embassy of Belgium
03-3262-0191
British Embassy
03-5211-1100
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria
03-3465-1021
Embassy of the Czech Republic
03-3400-8122
Embassy of Denmark
03-3496-3001
Embassy of Finland
03-5447-6000
Embassy of France
03-5798-6000
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
03-5791-7700
Embassy of Greece
03-3403-0871
Embassy of the Republic of Hungary
03-3798-8801
Embassy of Ireland
03-3263-0695
Embassy of Italy
03-3453-5291
Royal Netherlands Embassy
03-5776-5400
Royal Norwegian Embassy
03-3440-2611
Embassy of the Republic of Poland
03-5794-7020
Embassy of Portugal
03-5212-7322
Embassy of Romania
03-3479-0311
Embassy of the Russian Federation
03-3583-4224
Embassy of Spain
03-3583-8531
Embassy of Sweden
03-5562-5050
Embassy of Switzerland
03-5449-8400
Embassy of Ukraine
03-5474-9770
Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan
03-3760-5625
Oceania
Australian Embassy
03-5232-4111
New Zealand Embassy
03-3467-2271
 
Asia
Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
03-5704-0216
Royal Embassy of Cambodia
03-5412-8521
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
03-3403-3388
Embassy of India
03-3262-2391
Indonesian Embassy
03-3441-4201
Korean Embassy
03-3357-5970
Embassy of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
03-5411-2291
Embassy of Malaysia
03-3476-3840
Embassy of Mongolia
03-3469-2088
Embassy of the Union of Myanmar
03-3441-9291
Embassy of Nepal
03-3713-6241
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
03-5421-7741
Philippines Embassy
03-5562-1600
Singapore Embassy
03-3586-9111
Embassy of Sri Lanka
03-3440-6911
Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
03-3466-3311
Middle East
Africa
Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon
03-5430-4985
Embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
03-5820-1580
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
03-3770-8022
Embassy of Ethiopia
03-5420-6860
Embassy of the Republic of Ghana
03-5410-8631
Embassy of the Republic of Guinea
03-3770-4640
Embassy of the Republic of Kenya
03-3723-4006
Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco
03-5485-7171
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
03-5425-8011
Embassy of the Republic of Senegal
03-3464-8451
Embassy of the Republic of South Africa
03-3265-3366
Tanzania Embassy
03-3425-4531
Embassy of the Republic of Tunisia
03-3511-6622
Embassy of the Republic of Uganda
03-3462-7107