Emergency Contacts and Contingency

Save this page. Screenshot it before leaving the US.

Emergency Numbers in Japan

Situation	Number
Police	110
Fire / Ambulance	119
Japan Helpline (English, 24/7)	0120-461-997
US Embassy Tokyo (main)	+81-3-3224-5000
US Embassy after-hours emergency	+81-3-3224-5000 (press option)

Go to a major hospital emergency room. Japan’s emergency system works - ambulances are free, treatment is not.

Travel Insurance: Confirm your policy number and the international claims line before departure. Store it in your phone and in this note.

Call your bank’s international number immediately (have it saved before leaving)
Apple Pay / Google Pay may still work even if physical card is gone - check before you travel
Japan Post ATMs and 7-Eleven ATMs accept most US cards as backup cash

Bank emergency lines (fill in before departure):

Card	International Number
Jeff
Jeannette

File a police report (koban - small neighborhood police box) - you’ll need the report number
Contact US Embassy Tokyo: +81-3-3224-5000
Embassy can issue an Emergency Passport - bring any ID copies you have
Pro tip: Photo your passport data page and upload to a secure cloud folder before leaving

Contact airline baggage claim at the airport before leaving
Japan’s baggage delivery system (takkyubin) is excellent - lost bags often caught quickly
Hotels can receive delivered bags; give them your accommodation address if asked

Japan has one of the best lost and found systems in the world. Cash, phones, and bags are routinely turned in and recovered.

If you leave something on a train:

Go to the station master’s office (ekichoushitsu / 駅長室) at the station where you got off
Describe the item, the line, and the approximate time
They contact the terminus station - items are collected and held centrally
JR Lost and Found (Tokyo): 03-3231-1880 - English-speaking staff available
Tokyo Metro Lost and Found: Suidobashi - 03-3834-5577
Nankai (Osaka): Contact any Nankai station master’s office

If you lose something in public:

Report to the nearest koban (交番) - small neighborhood police box, found on almost every block
Police hold items for 3 months; high recovery rate for electronics and wallets
Staff will take a report and give you a reference number to check status

Reality: Japan’s lost item recovery rate is extraordinary. A wallet with cash returned intact is not unusual. Report immediately and follow up.

Green Car tickets on SmartEX are exchangeable, not fixed to the seat per se - you can rebook to the next available train at a ticket window
Shin-Osaka → Tokyo: trains run frequently (every 10-15 min peak)
Show SmartEX reservation on your phone at the gate

Group chat: ___________________