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Calling 119 for a Fire in Japan

Calling 119 for a fire in Japan starts with two words: 火事です (kaji desu, "there is a fire").1 That first sentence routes fire trucks instead of an ambulance, and everything after it (address, floor, what burns) decides how fast help finds you.2

Confirm current details with official sources

Procedures, fees, and requirements can change. Confirm current details at the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA, 消防庁) and your municipal fire department's 119 guidance pages.

Overview​

The number 119 serves both fire trucks and ambulances across Japan, free from any phone including public pay phones; police use the separate number 110.1 The dispatcher opens every call by asking fire or medical: 「火事ですか、救急ですか」 (kaji desu ka, kyūkyū desu ka, "fire or medical emergency").34

This article owns the fire-call script. The ambulance-side procedure (when to call, what medics ask, hospital selection) belongs to Calling 119: When and How; the unified-number overview belongs to the companion emergencies article. Here, the fire.

The Fire-Call Script​

The exchange below follows the Sendai and Saitama model scripts used for foreign residents. Speak slowly, answer each question, and stay on the line until the dispatcher confirms.56

Sentence one: fire, not ambulance​

Say 「火事です」 before anything else.1 Fire departments also hold ambulances, so the dispatcher cannot route correctly until you name the emergency type.2 If the fire injured anyone, add that immediately so ambulances roll with the trucks.6

Shibuya's guidance phrases the pair as 「火事です」 for a truck and 「救急です」 (kyūkyū desu, "medical emergency") for an ambulance.2 One sentence, then the address; the dispatcher drives the rest.

Sentence two: address in Japanese order​

Give the address in Japanese order: ward, district, block, number (ku, cho, ban, go), then the building name, room number, a nearby landmark, the burning floor, and what burns.26 A Shibuya-shaped example reads: Shibuya-ku, XX-cho, XX-ban, XX-go de XX ga moete imasu.2

Dispatchers confirm floor and fuel next: how many stories the building has, which floor burns, whether you see smoke or flame, and what exactly is on fire.56 Prepare those four answers before dialing if smoke conditions allow.

Sentence three: who and where you are​

State whether anyone is trapped or injured, give your name and callback number, and confirm whether you are in a safe location.6 Do not hang up until the dispatcher confirms the address and number.1

Mobile callers keep the phone powered on for about 10 minutes after the call so dispatchers can call back with questions.2 Drivers stop the car in a safe place before dialing.6

Stay on the line even when the address feels obvious

Landline tracing helps in major cities but never replaces verbal confirmation, and mobile locations stay approximate. A 30-second confirmation beats a truck circling the wrong block.16

After You Call​

What the dispatcher does next​

The dispatcher confirms the details and sends crews from the nearest fire department; fire-engine and ambulance response is free of charge.1 Urban fire-truck arrival commonly falls around 7 to 10 minutes, varying by area, traffic, and time of day (as of 2026-09; confirm current figures with your municipal fire department).6

Call for a fire engine on visible fire, on smoke-alarm activation with signs of fire, or on fuel leakage at a car accident.6 Small fires still merit the call: early dispatch contains what a home extinguisher cannot.

Meeting the fire truck​

Send someone to the nearest major intersection to meet the truck and guide it in.1 Where the exact address is uncertain, navigate by landmark: station names, schools, convenience stores, and bridge names all work.6

Public phones need no coins or cards for 119.2 On phones with a red emergency button, press it first and then dial; on phones without one, pick up and dial 119 directly.2

Language Help on the Call​

Memorize your address in Japanese​

Dispatchers work in Japanese by default, and the Embassy advises stating the address in Japanese or having a Japanese speaker place the call.1 Practice your address aloud in Japanese order until the pronunciation is automatic under stress.

Keep an emergency card at the apartment with the address in kanji and romaji plus your name and phone number. Visitors, babysitters, and guests use the same card when you are the one incapacitated.

When English is available​

Tokyo Fire Department staffs English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish lines 24 hours year-round.2 Saitama City offers free 24-hour telephone interpreting for fire, medical, and rescue calls in the same five languages.6

Elsewhere, the interpretation bridge covers 17 languages including English: state the need, and the operator connects a three-way interpreter line while you hold.5 Bridging takes time, so the basic-Japanese opener 「火事です、住所は___」 stays the most reliable path in a critical fire situation.15

Good to know​

Response times vary by area and traffic​

The urban arrival band does not describe rural or island areas, where distance and volunteer-corps coverage change timing. Residents outside major cities should ask their municipal fire headquarters for the local average and plan meeting-point guidance accordingly.6

Do not hang up to call again​

One connected call with a confirmed address outperforms two partial calls. If the line drops, the callback number you already gave lets dispatch reach you; redialing restarts the queue instead.26

Small fires still merit the call​

Smoke without visible flame, a stove fire you already smothered, and fuel smells after a traffic accident all justify the call under Saitama's guidance.6 Dispatchers triage; your job is reporting, not grading the emergency.

See also​

References​

Footnotes​

  1. U.S. Embassy Tokyo. 「Calling for Help」. 2024-04-12. https://jp.usembassy.gov/services/calling-for-help ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9

  2. Shibuya City. 「For Fire, Ambulance and Rescue Assistance: Dial 119」English. https://www.city.shibuya.tokyo.jp/contents/living-in-shibuya/en/emergencies/dial119.html ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  3. FDMA. 「Guide for Ambulance Services」English pamphlet. https://www.fdma.go.jp/publication/portal/items/portal001_pamphiet_english.pdf ↩

  4. The Japan Times. 「Emergency Japanese that, fingers crossed, you will never need to use」. 2021-03-05. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2021/03/05/language/emergency-japanese-words ↩

  5. Sendai Tourism, Convention and International Association. 「How to call 119 (Emergency call)」English PDF (17-language interpretation note). https://int.sentia-sendai.jp/j/download/information/119_e2.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  6. Saitama City Fire Bureau. 「119 Emergency Procedures」English PDF. https://www.city.saitama.lg.jp/001/011/014/003/p094130_d/fil/saitama119-english.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14