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Tokyo is now under a new state of emergency as Covid-19 cases continue to climb. The pandemic can be confusing and scary no matter where you live, but if you're in Japan and you need someone to talk to, there are several English-friendly counselling options available online for free, as well as multilingual hotlines for information about coronavirus and for inquiries about vaccines.
And that's just the start of it – there are more contact points in Tokyo and Japan if you're in need of assistance. It looks like new initiatives are being launched regularly, and we'll keep updating this list with new services as they appear. Stay strong, Tokyo.
Tokyo Coronavirus Support Center for Foreign Residents
Set up by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, this toll-free hotline provides information on the coronavirus in 14 different languages: English, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Nepalese, Indonesian, Tagalog, Thai, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Cambodian, Burmese, and Japanese.
Tel: 0120 296 004
Hours: 10am-5pm, closed weekends and holidays
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Covid-19 Call Center
This Tokyo government call centre provides information on how to prevent infection, details concerning symptoms, and general advice regarding coronavirus. Support is provided in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean.
Tel: 0570 550 571
Hours: 9am-9pm daily
Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Information Center
This hotline and website can help you find doctors, hospitals and pharmacies in Toyko, as well as specific support for particular medical conditions. The hotline is available in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Thai.
Tel: 03 5285 8181
Hours: 9am-8pm daily
JNTO Japan Visitor Hotline
The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) operates a hotline 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for visitors to Japan. It takes calls related to accidents and emergencies and support is available in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese.
Tel: 050 3816 2787
Hours: 24 hours, 365 days a year
Multilingual call centre for Covid-19 vaccine inquiries
The hotline is a toll-free number and is open seven days a week. The available languages are: Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese.
Services in Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish are available from 9am to 9pm daily. Thai operators are available from 9am to 6pm, whereas services in Vietnamese are available from 10am to 7pm.
Tel: 0120 716770
Hours: 9am-9pm daily
Other emergency numbers in Japan you should know
Police: 011
Fire: 119
Ambulance: 119
For tips on how to go out safely in Tokyo, or anywhere for that matter, read our guide.
More from Time Out Tokyo
Here’s the tentative timeline of Japan’s Covid-19 vaccination programme
How to wash and care for your reusable cloth face masks
How to make a DIY no-sew face mask from t-shirts, socks and paper towels