Japanese medical emergency phrases for expats in Japan

You do not need to speak fluently: a few essential Japanese medical phrases, the right emergency number, and some basic preparation can make it easier to get help at clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, or when calling 119.

This guide covers the key phrases, emergency numbers, and practical steps to prepare for medical costs and care. It is for language and practical information only; if you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 119 or go to the nearest emergency department.

Key takeaways

If you only have a few seconds, start here.

• Call 119 for an ambulance in a serious medical emergency, such as severe breathing trouble, chest pain, heavy bleeding, seizures, loss of consciousness, or stroke-like symptoms.
• Start with a simple phrase such as 救急車をお願いします (Kyūkyūsha o onegaishimasu), meaning “Please send an ambulance.”
• Keep your passport or residence card, health insurance card, medicine list, and payment method ready if you can.
• In Japan, a clinic, hospital, and dispensing pharmacy may all be separate, so you may need different phrases at each step.
• You may need to pay some or all treatment and prescription costs upfront, depending on your insurance status, so keep payment details ready.

When to call 119 and what to say

If you are unsure whether you need an ambulance, start by considering how serious and sudden the symptoms are. In Japan, the main emergency numbers include:

• 119 connects you to ambulance and fire services
• 110 is for the police
• #7119 provides emergency medical advice in participating areas if you are unsure whether to call an ambulance or seek medical care.

Availability and operating hours vary by location, so check the service where you live.

People are sometimes unsure whether to go to a clinic, hospital, or pharmacy. As a general rule, clinics are a good starting point for many non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries, while hospitals are more likely to handle serious conditions, specialist tests, and emergency treatment. Prescriptions are also commonly filled at a separate dispensing pharmacy.

Public ambulance transport in Japan is generally free, but medical treatment, tests, medicines, and hospital stays are still chargeable.

Call 119 without delay for symptoms and injuries such as:

• severe trouble breathing
• severe or persistent chest pain or pressure
• heavy bleeding
• a seizure
• loss of consciousness
• sudden weakness, facial drooping, or slurred speech
• a serious head injury
• a suspected broken bone after a major fall or crash

If you are not sure, Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) provides an emergency guidance tool to help you assess the urgency of a sudden illness or injury, but do not use it to delay calling 119 when someone appears to be seriously ill or injured.

How to say it on a 119 call

Start with the most important line first: 救急車をお願いします (Kyūkyūsha o onegaishimasu), meaning “Please send an ambulance.”

If you need language help, you can ask 英語を話せる方はいますか (Eigo o hanaseru kata wa imasu ka), “Is there someone who speaks English?”

Be ready to give your location, the patient’s main symptoms and age, and your name and contact number.

Essential Japanese medical emergency phrases

This phrase bank is designed for real situations, not as a general glossary. Each line gives the English meaning, Japanese script, and easy romaji, grouped by likely use case so you can find the right phrase quickly under stress.

Symptom and pain phrases

Use these symptom-led phrases on the phone, at reception, or during triage.

• I am in pain: 痛いです (Itai desu). A simple first line for reception or triage.
• I cannot breathe: 息ができません (Iki ga dekimasen). Use this immediately on a 119 call or as soon as staff see you.
• I have chest pain: 胸が痛いです (Mune ga itai desu). Important for ambulance calls and urgent assessment.
• I have a fever: 熱があります (Netsu ga arimasu). Useful at a clinic desk or when a nurse asks what is wrong.
• I feel dizzy: めまいがします (Memai ga shimasu). Good for triage, especially you are having difficulty standing.
• I am bleeding: 出血しています (Shukketsu shite imasu). Say this early if staff cannot see the wound clearly.
• I think I broke a bone: 骨が折れたと思います (Hone ga oreta to omoimasu). Useful after a fall, sports injury, or traffic accident.

Hospital, urgent care, and prescription phrases in Japan

These Japanese hospital phrases help once you move beyond describing the first symptom.

• 医者を呼んでください (Isha o yonde kudasai) – I need a doctor
• 病院に行きたいです (Byōin ni ikitai desu) – I need to go to hospital
• 英語を話せる医師はいますか (Eigo o hanaseru ishi wa imasu ka), – Is there an English-speaking doctor?
• 通訳が必要です (Tsūyaku ga hitsuyō desu), – I need an interpreter

For medicine:

• 処方せん (Shohōsen) – prescription
• 調剤薬局 (Chōzai yakkyoku) – dispensing pharmacy
• これが処方せんです (Kore ga shohōsen desu) – This is my prescription
• 調剤薬局はどこですか (Chōzai yakkyoku wa doko desu ka) – Where is the dispensing pharmacy?

Allergies, medicines, and existing conditions

Pain is only part of the picture. If you have an allergy or condition, you can say:

• この薬にアレルギーがあります (Kono kusuri ni arerugī ga arimasu) – I am allergic to this medicine (replace kono kusuri with the medicine name if you know it)
• この薬を飲んでいます (Kono kusuri o nonde imasu) – I take this medicine
• ぜんそくがあります (Zensoku ga arimasu) – I have asthma
• 糖尿病です (Tōnyōbyō desu) – I have diabetes
• 妊娠しています (Ninshin shite imasu) – I am pregnant

Where possible, show the medicine box, a typed medicine list, or your お薬手帳 (okusuri techō), the record commonly used in Japan. Showing this information can be quicker and clearer than trying to explain medicine names, doses, and other details verbally.

What to expect at a Japanese clinic or hospital

Once you arrive, the usual flow is:

If you receive an outside prescription, you will usually take it to a dispensing pharmacy and pay for the medicine separately.

For non-emergency care, some larger and specialist hospitals in Japan prioritize patients referred by a doctor, clinic, or another medical institution. At certain designated hospitals, arriving without a referral can also mean paying a special additional fee, although exceptions apply, including for some emergency cases.

Do not assume that English-speaking staff will always be available. English and other language support varies considerably between facilities, although you are more likely to find international-patient services in major cities.

The official JNTO medical guide can help you find medical institutions that accommodate foreign visitors and different languages.

What to bring and how payment works

If possible, bring:

• your passport or residence card
• Proof of Japanese health insurance
• payment method
• current medicines or medication list
• emergency contact details
• your address in Japanese.

If you already have relevant prescriptions or medical documents, bring those too.

Be prepared to pay at the medical facility rather than assuming your insurer will be billed directly. What you pay depends on factors including your Japanese health-insurance status, the treatment you receive, and any private or travel insurance you hold; arrangements for direct or cashless billing also depend on the insurer and medical facility.

Paying for urgent care, insurance, and quick money transfers

For expats, getting treatment may be only part of the practical challenge. Depending on your Japanese health-insurance status, private or travel insurance, and the medical facility, you may need to pay some or all of the consultation, tests, treatment, and medicine costs yourself, then claim reimbursement from your insurer later.

If you keep funds overseas, it can help to have a payment plan before an emergency happens. Wise is one option for sending money to Japan or converting supported currencies into JPY, with applicable fees and estimated transfer times shown before you confirm transfer.

Availability, speed, limits, fees, eligibility, and verification requirements can vary, so do not rely on a money transfer arriving immediately during a medical emergency. Check Wise pricing before you need to make a transfer.

Where Cigna and Allianz Care fit in

If you are comparing private international health insurance, Cigna and Allianz Care are two insurers offering international plans that cover healthcare in Japan. Depending on the policy, these can include benefits and services relating to emergency treatment, claims assistance, multilingual support, and direct-settlement arrangements with some healthcare providers.

Check the details and compare quotes carefully, because coverage limits, exclusions, provider networks, direct billing, deductibles or excesses, and reimbursement procedures vary by insurer and policy.

Build your own emergency phrase card before you need it

The easiest way to use Japanese medical phrases under pressure is to prepare a small emergency note in advance. Save it on your phone, print it for your wallet, or keep it somewhere you can access quickly.

Include:

• full name and date of birth
• home address in Japanese
• blood type if known
• allergies
• current medicines
• existing conditions
• emergency contact
• insurer name and helpline
• one key phrase such as 英語を話せる方はいますか (Eigo o hanaseru kata wa imasu ka), “Is there someone who speaks English?”

Useful sources

(checked 22 August 2026)

• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare multilingual medical phrasebook
• JNTO medical guide for foreign visitors and residents
• FDMA Q-suke emergency guidance tool
• MHLW local consultation services for foreign patients
• Japan International Hospitals resource