Among special numbers, emergency numbers are the most critical - special phone numbers for contacting police, fire, and ambulance services during emergencies. Japan's three main emergency numbers are 110 (police), 119 (fire/ambulance), and 118 (Japan Coast Guard), all free of charge.
Emergency call mechanisms differ between landlines and mobile phones. Calls from landlines automatically transmit address information linked to the phone number, enabling location identification even when the caller cannot communicate their address. Calls from mobile phones use "emergency call location notification," which carriers have been required to provide since April 2007 under the Regulations for Telecommunications Business Facilities. What reaches the emergency center depends on the handset and the signal: if the phone supports GPS-based notification and GPS is available, the position fixed by GPS is sent; otherwise the position is estimated from the location of the serving base station and similar data. Indoors and underground the second case is the common one, so the reported position should be treated as an approximation - if you are able to say the address or a nearby landmark out loud, that remains the most reliable information.
An important limitation: IP phones (050 numbers) cannot make emergency calls. Since 050 numbers are not tied to a geographic area, the jurisdictional emergency center cannot be determined - this is the technical reason. Users who only have a 050 number should keep a mobile phone nearby for emergencies. Emergency calls via Wi-Fi calling also vary by carrier and device, so advance verification is important.
For non-emergency consultations, dedicated dial numbers are available. #9110 (police consultation) handles crime victim consultations and public safety concerns, #7119 (Emergency Consultation Center) helps when unsure whether to call an ambulance, and #8000 (Pediatric Emergency Hotline) handles consultations about children's sudden illness or injury. Using these consultation numbers helps keep the emergency lines free for calls that genuinely cannot wait. Prank calls or false reports to emergency numbers constitute obstruction of business by deception under Article 233 of the Penal Code, punishable by up to three years of imprisonment or a fine of up to 500,000 yen. Review proper usage in the emergency number guide.