Emergency Information

It's important to stay safe while traveling. Some of the emergency situations you may encounter in Japan may be different from your home country. Additionally, the emergency response numbers you should call are likely different, so we created this page of resources that every traveler to Japan should be informed of.

In the event of a fire or medical emergency, dial 119. English and a handful of other foreign languages are supported via connection to a 3rd-party interpreter. In an emergency, you can say 火事です (kaji desu) for a fire and 救急 (Kyūkyū) when you need an ambulance.

Dial 110 if you are the victim of or otherwise need to report a crime. Also notify the police if you are involved in a road accident so they can document the accident for legal and insurance purposes.

Earthquakes, tsunami, typhoon, landslides, and heavy rain and heavy snowfall occur frequently in Japan, and may occur on Sado as well. They can strike with little or no warning. In the event of an emergency, please follow the instructions of your accommodation staff. Be informed using the following resources.

Drop on your hands and knees. Be careful of falling objects or furniture.
This position protects you from being knocked down and reduces your chances of being hit by falling objects.

Cover your head and neck. If a sturdy table is nearby, crawl underneath for shelter. If no shelter is nearby, crouch next to an interior wall. Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs.

Hold on until the shaking stops.
If you have no shelter, hold on to your head and neck with both arms and hands.

• If possible, secure an exit! Open a door/window.
• If a fire has started, extinguish it as soon as possible.
• Put on shoes to protect your feet from shattered glass, etc.
• Follow the instructions of your accommodation staff to evacuate to a safe place if necessary. Tsunami and high waves may follow a strong quake.
• If outside, protect your head from falling objects.
• Get away from cliffs, or river banks.
• Evacuate to higher ground far from the sea to avoid possible tsunamis and high waves triggered by the quake.
• If you are in an elevator, press the buttons for all of the floors. When the door opens, exit the elevator quickly.
• If you are driving, pull over on the left side of the road and exit the vehicle. If you are on a bus, follow the instructions of the driver.