While Japan is known to be one of the safest countries in the world, it is also a very natural disaster-prone country. In fact, according to Statistica, the country experiences 1,500 earthquakes each year. When you’re in Japan and an unfortunate event occurs, what Japanese phrases should you know to ask for help or find out how to get to safety? Whether you are visiting Japan or living here, it’s essential to know some key words and phrases for different emergency situations such as disasters, accidents, or injuries.
Hopefully you never have to deal with anything too serious, but it’s always best to be prepared! So, let’s go over some essential phrases to help you stay prepared and ensure you understand how to communicate during emergencies.
Japanese Emergency Phrases for Disasters
Disasters, such as earthquakes or tsunamis, are quite frequent in Japan. Although most are rather small, there is a chance that they may require you to evacuate your home. But don’t worry, Japan has been dealing with disasters for years, so they are very well equipped.
But there are some words and phrases you should know to ensure you understand directions and communicate with public service staff.
1. ここはどこですか？ (Koko wa doko desuka?): Where Are We Right Now?
If you’re somewhere in public and hear that there is a risk of a disaster such as an earthquake, it’s always good to know exactly where you are, especially if you’re not sure. どこ (Doko), meaning “where,” is perfect for asking where you are or where you should go.
Example:
ここはどこですか？
Koko wa doko desuka?
Where are we right now?
2. ここは安全ですか？(Koko wa anzen desu ka?): Is it safe here?
The word 安全 (anzen) means “safe” and, as you can imagine, is one of the first phrases you should know in an emergency. You can use it to ask if you’re in a safe area or where you can go for safety.
Here is an example of how to ask about safety in Japanese.
Example:
ここは安全ですか？どこに行けばいいですか？
Koko wa anzen desuka? Doko ni ikeba iidesuka?
Is it safe here? Where should we go?
3. 地震がきますか？(jishin ga kimasuka?): Will There be an Earthquake?
Earthquakes are common in Japan, but it’s worth asking whether one will come soon, especially a big one. 地震 (jishin) is the word for “earthquake” in Japanese and is what you hear when your phone’s earthquake alarm goes off.
Usually, a few moments before an earthquake, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)’s Earthquake Early Warning system sends an alert to every phone bought in Japan, with some exceptions. It includes an alarm with a voice saying 地震です (jishin desu), or “There’s an Earthquake.”
While the alarm is designed to catch your attention and prompt swift action, the earthquake itself isn’t always large and may last only seconds. But whenever you do hear it, be somewhere safe and take proper precautions to avoid things that could fall on you.
Example:
大きな地震がきますか？
Ookina jishin ga kimasu ka?
Is a big earthquake coming?
4. 避難所はどこにありますか？ (Hinanjo wa doko ni arimasu ka?): Where is the Emergency Shelter
Sometimes disasters, particularly tsunamis and typhoons, cause flooding, strong winds, and rain that can affect your area. In these cases, you would need to evacuate to the closest evacuation facility.
In many neighborhoods, the local public school building is often used as the emergency shelter. This is because most schools are built to be as safe as possible to prioritize children, and because you find schools in just about every neighborhood.
So if you’re not sure where your nearest evacuation shelter is, here is how you can ask.
Example:
すみません、避難所はどこですか？
Sumimasen, hinanjo wa dokodesuka?
Excuse me, where is the evacuation center?
5. どうしたら〜に行けますか？ (Doushitara ~ni Ikemasuka?): How Can I Get to…?
Once you know where you need to go during a disaster, you might want to know how you can even get there. Train lines might stop running, and roads could be blocked off. So, it’s definitely worth asking how to get somewhere safe, like an evacuation center.
You can use this phrase どうしたら (doushitara) or どうやて (douyate), which both mean “how” or “how to…”, followed by the place you want to go to and 行けますか (ikemasuka), meaning “can go.” This is the potential form of 行く(iku), or “to go.” The whole expression asks how you can get to place A.
Example:
どうしたら避難所に行けますか？
Doushitara hinanjo ni ikemasuka?
How can I go to the evacuation center?
6. 火事です！(Kaji desu): Fire!
Knowing how to understand or say the word “fire” should be on your list of essential Japanese survival words. While 火 (hi) is a more literal word for “fire,” 火事 (kaji) better describes a destructive accidental fire. So, in the context of a “disaster fire,” you would hear and use the word 火事; however, a more formal word that often appears in writing is 火災 (kasai).
Example:
火事です！みんなさん避難してください！
Kaji desu! Minna san hinan shite kudasai!
There’s a fire! Everyone, please evacuate!
| English | Japanese | Furigana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | 地震 | じしん | jishin |
| Aftershock | 余震 | よしん | yoshin |
| Tsunami | 津波 | つなみ | tsunami |
| Typhoon | 台風 | たいふう | taifuu |
| Heavy rain | 大雨 | おおあめ | ooame |
| Flood | 洪水 | こうずい | kouzui |
| Landslide | 土砂崩れ | どしゃくずれ | doshakuzure |
| Volcanic eruption | 噴火 | ふんか | funka |
| Fire | 火事 | かじ | kaji |
| Fire (formal) | 火災 | かさい | kasai |
| Disaster | 災害 | さいがい | saigai |
| Evacuation | 避難 | ひなん | hinan |
| Evacuation shelter | 避難所 | ひなんじょ | hinanjo |
| Emergency exit | 非常口 | ひじょうぐち | hijouguchi |
| Power outage | 停電 | ていでん | teiden |
| Water outage | 断水 | だんすい | dansui |
| Flashlight | 懐中電灯 | かいちゅうでんとう | kaichuu dentou |
| Emergency supplies | 防災グッズ | ぼうさいぐっず | bousai guzzu |
| Warning | 警報 | けいほう | keihou |
| Safe | 安全 | あんぜん | anzen |
Japanese Emergency Phrases for Hospital Visits
There are many reasons why you might need to visit a hospital in Japan, but this list will only focus on emergency scenarios. So, let’s discover what phrases you should know for medical emergencies.
7. 救急車を呼んでください (Kyukyusha o Yonde Kudasai): Please Call the Ambulance
If you or someone gets badly injured or seems really unwell, ask someone nearby to call an ambulance. If you’re in a public area or business, it may be best to ask the staff to call, since they already know the address and other details to help the ambulance or emergency services get to your destination.
So this is a very useful expression to remember just in case.
Example:
救急車を呼んでください！友達はケガしている！
Kyuukyuusha o yonde kudasai! Tomodachi wa kega shiteiru.
Please call an ambulance! My friend is injured!
8. 病院はどこですか？ (Byouin wa doko desuka?)
If you ever get a concerning illness or injury, you should visit the hospital as soon as possible. The good news is Japan has hospitals everywhere, so there’s likely one close by. The word for hospital in Japanese is 病院 (Byouin), where you can go for specific check-ups or serious emergencies.
However, if you just need a check-up for a prescription for medicine to treat symptoms like fever, bacterial infection, or allergies, you can go to a clinic, クリニック (kurinikku), instead. Of course, for emergency medical attention, a hospital will be much better equipped. So, to find the nearest hospital, here is how you can ask.
Example:
一番近くの病院はどこですか？
Ichi ban chikakuno byouin wa doko desuka?
Where is the closest hospital?
9. 〜が痛いです・〜をけがしています (~ga itai desu/~o kega shite imasu)
Now, how do you describe your injury to the doctor? You can simply point to the affected area and say ここが痛いです (koko ga itai desu), meaning “it hurts here,” or ここがけがしています (koko ga kega shite imasu), meaning “I’m injured here.”
You can also mention the specific area that’s experiencing pain; just replace ここ(here) with the body part that’s hurt or injured.
Example:
足首を怪我しています。
Ashikubi o kega shite imasu.
I injured my ankle.
| English | Japanese | Furigana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital | 病院 | びょういん | byouin |
| Ambulance | 救急車 | きゅうきゅうしゃ | kyuukyuusha |
| Emergency room | 救急外来 | きゅうきゅうがいらい | kyuukyuu gairai |
| Doctor | 医者 | いしゃ | isha |
| Nurse | 看護師 | かんごし | kangoshi |
| To get injured | 怪我する | けがする | kega suru |
| Sick / illness | 病気 | びょうき | byouki |
| Pain / hurts | 痛い | いたい | itai |
| Sprain | 捻挫 | ねんざ | nenza |
| Bleeding | 出血 | しゅっけつ | shukketsu |
| Broken bone | 骨折 | こっせつ | kossetsu |
| Burn | 火傷 | やけど | yakedo |
| Fever | 熱 | ねつ | netsu |
| Headache | 頭痛 | ずつう | zutsuu |
| Stomachache | 腹痛 | ふくつう | fukutsuu |
| Dizziness | めまい | めまい | memai |
| Nausea | 吐き気 | はきけ | hakike |
| Difficulty breathing | 呼吸困難 | こきゅうこんなん | kokyuu konnan |
| Unconscious | 意識がない | いしきがない | ishiki ga nai |
| Allergy | アレルギー | あれるぎー | arerugii |
| Serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) | アナフィラキシー | あなふぃらきしー | anafirakishii |
| Medicine | 薬 | くすり | kusuri |
| Pharmacy | 薬局 | やっきょく | yakkyoku |
| Health insurance card | 保険証 | ほけんしょう | hokenshou |
| Medical examination | 診察 | しんさつ | shinsatsu |
| Surgery | 手術 | しゅじゅつ | shujutsu |
| Hospital admission | 入院 | にゅういん | nyuuin |
Japanese Emergency Phrases for Accidents & Crimes
Accidents and crimes happen; fingers crossed they don’t happen to us, but it never hurts to know what to say when they do. So, here are some emergency phrases you can use for cases when you need to yell for help or talk to the police.
10. 助けてください (tasukete kudasai): Please Help Me
This is probably one of the most essential phrases to know for safety. If you ever need to ask for help, whether it’s because of an accident, injury, or someone endangering you, you can say 助けて (tasukete), meaning “help!” It conveys the same meaning and urgency as in English, so it works in almost any emergency where you need immediate help.
Example:
誰か助けてください！
Dareka tasukete kudasai!
Can someone please help?!
Example 2:
すぐに助けが必要なんです!
Sugu ni tasuke ga hitsuyuu nandesu!
I need help immediately!
11. 警察を呼んでください (Keisatsu o yonde kudasai!) Please Call the Police!
If you’re a victim of a crime, witness something dangerous, or get into a serious accident, you’ll want the police involved quickly. 警察 (keisatsu) means “police,” and combined with 呼んでください (yonde kudasai), meaning “please call,” it’s a direct way to ask someone nearby to contact them for you. In Japan, the emergency number for the police is 110, so if you’re calling yourself, that’s the number to dial.
Like with calling an ambulance, if you’re in a shop, restaurant, or station, it’s often easiest to ask the staff, since they can explain the exact location.
Example:
警察を呼んでください！バッグを盗まれました！
Keisatsu o yonde kudasai! Baggu o nusumaremashita!
Please call the police! My bag was stolen!
12. 財布を盗まれました (Saifu o Nusumaremashita): My Wallet Was Stolen
Petty theft is relatively rare in Japan, but it can still happen, especially in crowded places like trains or tourist areas. The key word here is 盗まれました (nusumaremashita), the passive past form of 盗む (nusumu), meaning “to steal.” Using the passive form tells the listener that something was stolen from you. You can swap 財布 (saifu), meaning “wallet,” with whatever was taken, like スマホ (sumaho), “smartphone,” or パスポート (pasupooto), “passport.”
If you simply lost something rather than having it stolen, use なくしました (nakushimashita), meaning “I lost it.”
Example:
電車で財布を盗まれました。
Densha de saifu o nusumaremashita.
My wallet was stolen on the train.
13. 英語が話せる人はいますか？ (Eigo ga hanaseru hito wa imasu ka?): Is There Anyone Who Speaks English?
If the situation is too stressful to explain in Japanese, don’t hesitate to ask for someone who can help in English. 話せる (hanaseru) is the potential form of 話す (hanasu), “to speak,” so the phrase literally asks whether someone can speak English. It works at police boxes, hospitals, and train stations, and many places have staff or interpreter services available.
You can also explain your situation honestly by saying 日本語があまり話せません (Nihongo ga amari hanasemasen), meaning “I can’t speak much Japanese.”
Example:
日本語があまり話せません。英語が話せる人はいますか？
Nihongo ga amari hanasemasen. Eigo ga hanaseru hito wa imasu ka?
I can’t speak much Japanese. Is there anyone who speaks English?
| English | Japanese | Furigana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police | 警察 | けいさつ | keisatsu |
| Police box | 交番 | こうばん | kouban |
| Police station | 警察署 | けいさつしょ | keisatsusho |
| Accident | 事故 | じこ | jiko |
| Traffic accident | 交通事故 | こうつうじこ | koutsuu jiko |
| Danger / Dangerous | 危ない | あぶない | abunai |
| Stop! | やめて | やめて | yamete |
| Thief | 泥棒 | どろぼう | dorobou |
| Theft | 盗難 | とうなん | tounan |
| Pickpocket | スリ | すり | suri |
| Robbery | 強盗 | ごうとう | goutou |
| Fraud / Scam | 詐欺 | さぎ | sagi |
| Groper (on trains) | 痴漢 | ちかん | chikan |
| Suspicious person | 不審者 | ふしんしゃ | fushinsha |
| To steal | 盗む | ぬすむ | nusumu |
| To lose | なくす | なくす | nakusu |
| Lost item | 落とし物 | おとしもの | otoshimono |
| Victim | 被害者 | ひがいしゃ | higaisha |
| Witness | 目撃者 | もくげきしゃ | mokugekisha |
| Damage report (to police) | 被害届 | ひがいとどけ | higai todoke |
| Interpreter | 通訳 | つうやく | tsuuyaku |
| Passport | パスポート | ぱすぽーと | pasupooto |
| Wallet | 財布 | さいふ | saifu |
Simulating an Emergency Call
You may need to call emergency services in Japan to request an ambulance, police, or fire department support. In Japan, dialing 119 reaches the local fire department, which dispatches ambulances or fire trucks based on the emergency. Dialing 110 reaches the police department, which will respond for immediate help if you are in danger.
So, let’s go through a typical call with a service operator:
オペレーター: 119番の消防ですが、火事ですか、救急ですか？
Opereetaa: 119-Ban no shoubou desuga, kajidesu ka, kyuukyuu desuka?
Operator: This is 119, Fire Department. Is it a fire or a medical emergency?
あなた: 救急です。
Anata: Kyuu kyuu desu.
You: It’s a medical emergency.
オペレーター: 救急ですね。住所を教えてください。
Opereetaa: Kyuukyuudesu ne. Juusho o oshiete kudasai.
Operator: Medical emergency. Please tell me your address.
あなた: 東京都渋谷区渋谷1丁目12-13郵便局の前です。
Anata: Toukyouto shibuya ku shibuya i choume juu ni – juu san yuubinkyoku no mae desu.
You: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Shibuya 1-chome 12-13. In front of the post office.
オペレーター: 怪我ですか?病気ですか？
Opereetaa: Kega desuka? Byouki desuka?
Operator: Is it an injury or illness?
あなた: 病気です。人が倒れています。
Anata: Byouki desu. Hito ga taorete imasu.
You: It’s an illness. Someone has collapsed.
オペレーター: わかりました。あと5分ほどで救急車が到着します。
Opereetaa: Wakarimashita. Ato 5-bu hodo de kyūkyūsha ga tōchaku shimasu.
Operator: Understood. The ambulance will arrive in about 5 minutes.
Remember Some of These Japanese Emergency Phrases Just in Case!
While we all hope never to face an emergency, being prepared is key to ensuring safety. Knowing basic Japanese phrases for emergencies can significantly affect how effectively you navigate and resolve these incidents. Whether traveling or living in Japan, investing time in learning these phrases and understanding the local emergency procedures can provide peace of mind and potentially save lives.
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FAQ:
What number do I call in an emergency in Japan?
Dial 110 for the police and 119 for an ambulance or fire. Both are free to call, and operators can connect you to interpreter services if you don’t speak Japanese.
What’s the most important phrase to know in an emergency?
助けてください (tasukete kudasai), meaning “please help me.” It works in almost any emergency, whether you’re injured, in danger, or need immediate assistance.
How do I ask for an ambulance in Japanese?
Say 救急車を呼んでください (kyuukyuusha o yonde kudasai), meaning “please call an ambulance.” If you’re in a shop, station, or hotel, asking the staff to call is often easiest since they know the exact address.
What should I do if my wallet or phone is stolen in Japan?
Head to the nearest 交番 (kouban), or police box, and say 財布を盗まれました (saifu o nusumaremashita), meaning “my wallet was stolen.” You can swap in other items like スマホ (smartphone) or パスポート (passport).
What does 地震です (jishin desu) mean when my phone alarm goes off?
It means “there’s an earthquake.” The alert is sent by Japan’s Earthquake Early Warning system a few moments before shaking begins, so it’s your cue to find a safe spot away from anything that could fall.
