The following are some telephone area codes in Japan:
Fukuoka: 092
Hiroshima: 082
Kagoshima: 099
Kyoto: 075
Nagasaki: 0958
Nagoya: 052
Osaka: 06
Sapporo: 011
Sendai: 022
Tokyo: 03
Yokohama: 045
Public Phones
Public phones in Japan come in a variety of colours. Slot in a ¥10 coin before dialling. ¥10 is good for 2 minutes. Yellow and green phones can accept ¥100 coins, which makes they more convenient for long distance calls. However they don't return change for unused portions. The green phones all accept prepaid cards; some of these don't accept coins.
Telephone Directory
English directory service is free. Dial the following numbers for assistance:
Tokyo: 03 5256 3141
Osaka: 06 571 7866
Toll Free Numbers
Toll Free and Free Phone numbers in Japan begin with 0120 and 0088.
How to dial from Japan to another country?
Well, it depends on which phone company you are using, KDD, JT or IDC. The main international telecom company is KDD. With it, you dial 001 followed by the Country Code, Area Code and Phone Number. For example, if you're calling the number 04-555 6666 in Penang, Malaysia from Japan, you would dial 001-60-4-555-6666. With JT, you dial 0041 instead of 001. With IDC, you dial 0061 instead of 001.
Mobile Phones
Japan uses a non-GSM system, so if you're coming from a country using GSM, sorry, your mobile phone is useless while you're in Japan.
Yellow Pages
Japan Yellow Pages: http://www.ypj.com/en/ and http://www.yellowpage-jp.com/
Useful Numbers
The following numbers may prove useful during emergencies:
Police: 110
Fire: 119
Ambulance: 119
Japan Hotline: help in English on anything that you would need, available 10:00am - 4:00pm weekdays, 03 3586 0110
Japan Travel Phone: This is a nationawide toll free service to help travellers and provide language assistance. Tokyo: 0120 444 700, 0088 22 4700 or toll number 03 3201 3331; Eastern Japan: 0088 22 2700 and 0120 222 700; Western Japan: 0088 22 4700 and 0120 444 700
Hospital Information: help in English (as well as Chinese, Korean, Thai and Spanish), available in Tokyo, 03 5285 0110
Teletourist: Pre-recorded information in English on upcoming events: 03 3201 2911
Goodwill Guides
Goodwill guides are volunteers registered with JNTO to assist visitors and practise their command of foreign languages at the same time. Call the following numbers to get connected to a goodwill guide:
Tokyo: 03 3201 3331
Fukuoka: 092 725 9100
Kagoshima: 099 224 3451
Kyoto: 075 861 0540 an 075 371 5649
Nara: 0745 74 6700 and 0742 45 5920
Nikko: 0288 54 2027
Osaka: 06 635 3143
Sendai: 022 275 3796
Yokohama: 03 3201 3331
Newspapers
There are three newspapers in Japan published in English, and these are available online.
The Japan Times: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/
The Daily Yomiuri: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun: http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/
Nikkei Net, Business News: http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/
About the Author: AsiaExplorers is researched and written by Timothy Tye. We take reasonable care to check and verify the accuracy of the content. However, we disclaim any responsibility for any inconvenience, mishap, injury or death resulting from following the advice provided directly or indirectly by AsiaExplorers and the comments on its pages. All the photographs in AsiaExplorers are available for publication. Please contact AsiaExplorers at the following email address for your enquiries:
