Special numbers are short phone numbers assigned to specific services. Most are three digits, or a # followed by four digits, and they include emergency numbers (110/119/118) as well as various information services and consultation hotlines useful in daily life. Also called "special codes" for short, they are managed under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' Telecommunications Numbering Plan.
Special numbers are organized by purpose. Emergency: 110 (police), 119 (fire/ambulance), 118 (coast guard). Information services: 117 (time announcement). Disaster-related: 171 (disaster message dial). Telecom services from NTT: 113 (fault reporting), 115 (telegram orders), 116 (new lines, moves and other inquiries). Consultation numbers starting with # include #9110 (police consultation), #7119 (Emergency Consultation Center), and #8000 (pediatric emergency hotline); 188 (consumer hotline) is dialed without the # prefix. Two of the information-service numbers have since closed: 177 (weather forecast) on 31 March 2025, and 104 (directory assistance), long the best-known of the set, on 31 March 2026. Weather forecasts are now checked on websites and weather apps, and looking up business numbers moved to the iTownpage web directory.
Fee structures vary by number, requiring attention. Emergency calls (110/119/118) are free, but many of the others carry call charges or service fees, so it pays to check how a given number is billed before you call. 177 (weather forecast), closed at the end of March 2025, was billed as an ordinary call, and 104 (directory assistance), closed at the end of March 2026, charged a fee for each inquiry. Internet-based phone number lookup services and weather apps can cover much of the same ground, and they carry no call or inquiry charges. However, during disasters when internet service is down, phone-line-based special numbers may be the only source of information.
Properly distinguishing between # consultation numbers and emergency calls is important. When unsure whether to call an ambulance, call #7119 instead of 119. When you have concerns that don't constitute a crime, call #9110 instead of 110. Choosing the right number helps keep the emergency lines free for calls that genuinely cannot wait. You can learn the numbering system systematically in the phone number structure guide.