Safety / Emergency Numbers
Safety
Japan had a world-wide reputation for being such a safe country that there used to be a saying that “water and safety are free” in Japan. Regrettably, the amount of crime in Japan has been increasing the past several years following the worsening of the Japanese economy. In particular, the urban amusement quarters that are said never to sleep, all-night convenience stores, and other vulnerable spots have become the scenes of recurring crimes.
Koban(police boxes) are located near large intersections and in front of train stations, and the policemen stationed there monitor the neighborhood and give directions to people asking for information. They also patrol local neighborhoods late at night and rush to any scenes of trouble that may occur.
There are also numerous large and small security companies, and their personnel guard and monitor banks and other financial institutions, large corporations, stores, and so on, thus playing a key role in curtailing crime.
Through these and other efforts, Japan’s crime rate is still very low compared to rates in most other countries.
Emergency Numbers
The two emergency telephone numbers are:
Police 110
Fire, Ambulance 119
These emergency numbers can be called toll-free from public telephones by pressing the red button on the front of the telephone and then dialing the number.
