This section is for informational reference only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Costs, insurance rules, and administrative systems may change over time — please confirm the latest details with the relevant medical institution, municipal office, or immigration authority. If you notice anything outdated or inaccurate, we welcome your feedback and will keep this updated.

Calling an Ambulance

First, decide: do you need an ambulance?

If you're not sure whether the situation calls for an ambulance, you can call 119 directly, explain the situation, and let the dispatcher help you decide. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency of Japan's (消防庁) reference criteria include: clearly abnormal consciousness, severe injury, rapidly worsening symptoms, being unable to safely get to a medical facility on your own, or needing on-site emergency assessment or treatment.

The ambulance ride itself is free (it's a public resource), but the emergency room fee once you reach the hospital is usually higher than a regular outpatient visit.

Step 1: Call 119

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.

Use this line directly when the situation is urgent and there's no time to gather your words. If you're a long-term resident already comfortable in Japanese, you can also describe the situation in Japanese yourself.

アンビュランス、中国語お願いします。

アンビュランス、ちゅうごくごおねがいします。

Ambulance — please provide Chinese interpretation support.

If your Japanese isn't fluent enough to describe symptoms clearly, first state that you need foreign-language support (you can substitute English/Vietnamese/Korean), then wait for the three-way interpretation service to connect before explaining in detail.

Step 2: Clearly state three key pieces of information

Once the dispatcher answers, they'll usually ask for your exact location, symptoms, name, and phone number — staying consistent in what you say matters more than repeating explanations.

住所は〇〇です。

じゅうしょは〇〇です。

The address is 〇〇.

Long-term residents should memorize the Japanese written form and pronunciation of their address in advance — it's faster and more accurate in an emergency. If you're unsure of the address, you can also give the name of a nearby building or commercial facility, the number plate on a utility pole, or simply share the location name from a map app.

Besides your address, the dispatcher will also ask you to describe your symptoms, along with your name and phone number. Once these three items are clear, you can use the waiting time to get your ID (residence card/passport, insurance card) and any current medication records (if you have them) ready.

Step 3: Waiting for the ambulance, and what happens after it arrives

今どちらにいらっしゃいますか？

いまどちらにいらっしゃいますか？

Where are you right now?

After paramedics arrive, they won't rush you straight to a hospital. They'll usually first assess your vital signs, then contact a hospital that can accept you — this is the normal procedure in Japan's emergency system, not a sign of slow or careless handling. Which hospital you're taken to is decided by how severe your condition is, whether the right department is available, and whether the hospital can accept you — it isn't necessarily the closest one.

What you need to cooperate with on-site: describing how your symptoms are changing, showing ID, and providing your medical history (allergies/chronic conditions/current medications). Staying consistent in what you say matters more than repeating explanations.