Something went wrong?
Find what to do first, whom to contact and which documents to bring. Each guide includes links to the official information used to check the steps.
- 110PoliceCrime, theft, traffic accidentsOfficial page
- 119Ambulance & fireSay 「救急です」 (kyūkyū desu) for an ambulance — it is freeOfficial page
- 118Coast guardAccidents and emergencies at seaOfficial page
- 050-3816-2787Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO)24 hours, English / Chinese / Korean — accidents, illness, disastersOfficial page
Guides
Act today
Minutes and hours matter here.
- Act today
Lost wallet or phone
Japan's lost-and-found system works remarkably well — but block your cards and SIM first. Then file a report at a kōban and check the police lost-property search.
Do this first: Block anything that can be misused: call your card issuers and phone carrier, and lock or erase the phone remotely (Find My / Find My Device). Then file a lost-property report (遺失届) at the nearest kōban.
Open the steps - Act today
Visa renewal deadline missed or about to be missed
Not yet expired: apply today — once an application is accepted you can usually stay up to two months past the old expiry while it is processed. Already expired: do not travel; go to immigration in person immediately.
Do this first: Check the expiry date (在留期間満了日) on your residence card right now. Not yet expired: apply today, even with incomplete documents. Already expired: do not leave Japan — go to your regional immigration office in person as early as you can and explain.
Open the steps - Act today
Sudden illness or injury — and you don't speak Japanese
Life-threatening: call 119 and say 'kyūkyū desu'. Not sure how serious it is: #7119 (Tokyo and many prefectures) or the 24-hour Japan Visitor Hotline in English. Bring your My Number card registered for health insurance, or your 資格確認書.
Do this first: If it is serious — chest pain, heavy bleeding, trouble breathing, unconsciousness — call 119, say 「救急です」 (kyūkyū desu), then your address slowly. Many dispatchers can add an interpreter; the ambulance is free.
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This week
There is a legal deadline, but you have a few days.
Soon, but not an emergency
Frustrating setbacks with a clear next move.
- Soon, but not an emergency
Housing application rejected
Rejections are common for newcomers and are rarely personal: no guarantor, a short period of stay, no Japanese income history. Here is how to get the next application through.
Do this first: Ask the agent which screening failed: the guarantor company (保証会社の審査), the owner (大家さん), or the income check. Each has a different fix, and agents will usually tell you.
Open the steps - Soon, but not an emergency
Can't open a bank account
Most refusals come from the six-month rule, a short period of stay or missing paperwork. Japan Post Bank usually accepts newcomers — here is what to bring and what to try next.
Do this first: Try Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行) at any post office with your residence card showing your address, a Japanese phone number and your student or employee ID. It is usually the easiest first account.
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Phrase Cards
Ward office, bank and clinic phrases with audio.
Resource Directory
Official links for visas, housing, banking and healthcare.
These guides are general information checked against official sources on the date shown on each page — not legal advice. Procedures differ by office and change without notice, so confirm on the official page or by phone before you go.