This page is general information from official sources. It is not medical advice, and it cannot tell you whether you need an ambulance or a doctor. If you are not sure, call the advice lines in section 1.
If your child gets a high fever late at night, or someone at home suddenly feels very ill on a Sunday, you need to know where to go and what number to call. This page explains how to call an ambulance in Fukuoka City when you do not speak Japanese, which advice lines to use when you are not sure, and where to see a doctor at night or on a holiday. It uses pages from the Fukuoka City Fire Bureau (福岡市消防局), Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture and the Fukuoka City Medical Association (福岡市医師会).
In short
- In a serious emergency, dial 119. If you cannot speak Japanese, say your language and do not hang up: the Fire Bureau connects you to an interpreter (section 2).
- Not sure whether you need an ambulance or a doctor tonight? Call #7119, 24 hours a day. For children, #8000 answers in the evening and at night, and all day on Sundays and holidays (section 1).
- At night and on Sundays and holidays, the Fukuoka Emergency Medical Center in Momochihama (Sawara Ward) gives first aid. On Sundays and holidays, five ward emergency clinics are also open in the daytime (section 3).
- At a hospital or pharmacy, the Fukuoka City Medical Interpreting Call Center interprets by phone, 24 hours a day (section 4).
Checked with official pages on September 27, 2026.
| Number | Use it when | Who answers | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 119 | It is very urgent (section 1) | Fire and ambulance. Interpreters for English, Chinese, Korean and other languages. | 24 hours |
| #7119 | You are not sure whether to call an ambulance or see a doctor now, or you need a hospital that is open | Fukuoka Prefecture: a nurse (press 2) or hospital information (press 1) | 24 hours |
| #8000 | Your child suddenly gets sick or hurt and you are not sure what to do | Fukuoka Prefecture: a nurse, or a pediatrician if needed | Evenings and nights; all day on Sundays and holidays (section 1) |
| 092-733-5429 | You need an interpreter with a doctor or pharmacist | Fukuoka City Medical Interpreting Call Center: 20 languages | 24 hours |
1. When should I call 119?
What do the official pages say?
Fukuoka Prefecture
Fukuoka Prefecture says that if it seems very urgent, for example a sudden severe headache, sudden shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, you should call 119 without hesitation. Fukuoka City’s English guide for new residents says: if you cannot go to the hospital by yourself, call an ambulance.
The Fukuoka City Fire Bureau also asks people to use ambulances only when they are really needed, because the number of calls keeps rising and ambulances are limited. For other cases, it points to the #7119 advice line and to Q-suke (Q助), a national app from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA, 総務省消防庁) that shows how urgent your symptoms are.
What if I am not sure?
Fukuoka Prefecture
Fukuoka Prefecture runs two advice lines. They are free, but you pay for the call.
- #7119 is open 24 hours, every day. A voice message plays first. Press 2 to talk to a nurse with emergency care experience about how urgent it is. Press 1 to ask which hospital near you can see you now. If your phone cannot dial #7119, call 092-471-0099 (Fukuoka Prefecture Emergency Medical Information Center, 福岡県救急医療情報センター). The prefecture says adults and children can also use it.
- #8000 is for sudden illness or injury in children. An experienced nurse answers, or a pediatrician when needed. It is open on weekdays from 19:00, on Saturdays from 12:00, and on Sundays and holidays from 7:00, each time until 7:00 the next morning. If your phone cannot dial #8000, call 092-731-4119. #8000 cannot tell you which hospital to go to; use #7119 for that.
Neither line gives advice about medicines or about mental health, the prefecture says. Neither the prefecture nor the city says which languages the #7119 and #8000 advisors speak. If you need an interpreter, see section 4.
2. How do I call 119 if I do not speak Japanese?
Fukuoka City
The Fukuoka City Fire Bureau’s multilingual guide says: “Don’t worry if you don’t speak Japanese. We have interpreters!” It offers an interpreting service for several languages, such as English, Chinese and Korean. The steps below follow that guide.
- Dial 119. From a public phone, some phones need you to press an emergency button first, the Fukuoka City International Foundation says.
- Say which language you can speak. For example, say “English”.
- Wait on the line. You will hear a Japanese hold message. Do not hang up.
- Answer the interpreter’s questions. The interpreter speaks your language. You only need to answer the questions.
The Fire Bureau says to give the address first, because the ambulance can leave as soon as they know the place. If you do not know the address, name a landmark such as an intersection, a convenience store or a park. The command center then asks, in order: fire or ambulance, the address, a nearby building or intersection, what is happening (for an ambulance, the patient’s condition), and your name. After the call, keep your phone with you, because the crew may call you back to check the situation.
What to say
救急車をお願いします。
Kyukyusha wo onegai-shimasu.
Please send an ambulance. (From the Fukuoka City International Foundation’s English living guide. It also says to speak clearly and slowly.)
The operator may ask for a video
Fukuoka City
The Fukuoka Metropolitan Area Joint Fire Command Center (福岡都市圏消防共同指令センター) takes 119 calls for Fukuoka City and 15 other cities and towns. Since September 1, 2022, it has used Live119 (映像通報システム). If the operator decides it is needed, they send a text message (SMS) with a link to your phone. Tap it to send live video from your smartphone. On Android use Chrome, and on iPhone use Safari. You pay the data charges.
A Fukuoka City video (in Japanese) about giving the address first when you call 119, from the city’s official YouTube channel:
3. Where can I see a doctor at night or on a holiday?
Fukuoka City
Fukuoka City’s emergency center and ward emergency clinics give first aid to people who suddenly become ill or injured at night or on holidays. The city asks you to see a nearby clinic during normal weekday hours if it can wait until the next day. They do not treat chronic illnesses, do not make house calls, and do not give medical advice by phone.
Important
Bring your My Number Card that works as your health insurance card (マイナ保険証), or your Eligibility Certificate (資格確認書), and any medical certificates, such as your child’s medical care certificate. The city says copies are not accepted. It also says the old health insurance cards expired on December 1, 2025 at the latest.
Fukuoka Emergency Medical Center (Momochihama)
Fukuoka City
The Fukuoka Emergency Medical Center (福岡市立急患診療センター) is in Momochihama, Sawara Ward. For babies and young children, the city asks you to go to this center, because it has more testing equipment. You cannot book by phone. The Medical Association’s website shows the current reception number and the number of people waiting (ネコの目システム); you get your own number when you register at the center. Reception hours, according to Fukuoka City:
| Day | Departments | Reception hours |
|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Internal medicine, pediatrics | 19:30 to 6:30 the next morning |
| Saturdays | Pediatrics Internal medicine |
17:00 to 7:30 the next morning 19:00 to 7:30 the next morning |
| Sundays and holidays* | Internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology Ophthalmology, ear, nose and throat |
9:00 to 7:30 the next morning 9:00 to 23:30 |
| August 13 to 15 | Internal medicine, pediatrics | 19:00 to 7:30 the next morning (Saturday or Sunday hours if the day is a Saturday or Sunday) |
*National holidays and December 31 to January 3. Weekdays are Monday to Friday.
The center only gives first aid, so see your usual doctor or a specialist the next day, the Medical Association says. The city also says that extra charges for holidays, after-hours and late-night care are added depending on the day and time.
Fukuoka Emergency Medical Center: 1-6-9 Momochihama, Sawara Ward, Fukuoka City. Google Maps. Phone: 092-847-1099.
Ward emergency clinics on Sundays and holidays
Fukuoka City
On Sundays and national holidays, five emergency clinics (急患診療所) are open from 9:00 to 16:30. They are in the public health centers of five wards, and the Medical Association calls them, for example, Higashi Emergency Medical Clinic. The clinics that have only internal medicine send children of junior high school age and younger to pediatrics in principle. When it is crowded, a clinic may stop taking patients early.
| Clinic | Address (map) | Departments | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Higashi (東急患診療所) | 2-54-27 Hakozaki, Higashi Ward | Internal medicine, pediatrics | 092-651-3835 |
| Hakata (博多急患診療所) | 2-8-1 Hakataekimae, Hakata Ward (5th floor) | Internal medicine | 092-441-0020 |
| Minami (南急患診療所) | 3-25-3 Shiobaru, Minami Ward | Internal medicine, pediatrics | 092-541-3299 |
| Jonan (城南急患診療所) | 5-2-25 Torikai, Jonan Ward | Internal medicine | 092-831-7979 |
| Nishi (西急患診療所) | 1-4-7 Uchihama, Nishi Ward | Internal medicine | 092-882-3145 |
From December 31 to January 3, only the Higashi, Minami and Nishi clinics are open, from 9:00 to 23:30. The Hakata and Jonan clinics are closed.
A dentist on a holiday
Fukuoka City
The Emergency Dental Care Center (歯科急患診療所) is open from 9:00 to 16:30 on Sundays, national holidays, December 31 to January 3, and August 13 to 15. It is inside the Fukuoka Dental Association Hall (福岡県歯科医師会館).
Emergency Dental Care Center: 1-12-43 Daimyo, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka City. Google Maps. Phone: 092-752-0648.
Other hospitals open now
Fukuoka Prefecture
If you need a department that the center and clinics do not have, or it is outside their hours, call #7119 and press 1 (or 092-471-0099). The Fukuoka Prefecture Emergency Medical Information Center tells you which nearby hospital can see you now, 24 hours a day. At some times, or for some departments, there may be no hospital nearby that can take you.
4. Can I get an interpreter at the hospital?
Fukuoka City
Fukuoka City runs the Fukuoka City Medical Interpreting Call Center (福岡市医療通訳コールセンター). Phone interpreters help foreign residents and visitors talk with hospitals and pharmacies in the city that fill prescriptions. You can use it when you look for a hospital, when you talk with a doctor, and when you get medicine.
- Call 092-733-5429. The patient or the hospital can call.
- Tell the operator your language. The operator then interprets, in a two-way or three-way phone call.
The service is free and open 24 hours a day, every day; you pay only for the call. It covers 20 languages: English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Tagalog, Nepali, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Russian, Malay, Burmese, Khmer, Mongolian, Sinhala and Hindi.
Phone: 092-733-5429. For questions about daily life, such as health insurance, see Help in your language in Fukuoka City.
5. Common questions
Can I book a time at the Emergency Medical Center?
No. The Fukuoka City Medical Association says you cannot book by phone. You get a reception number when you register at the center. Its website shows the current number and how many people are waiting.
My phone cannot dial #7119 or #8000. What number do I call?
Fukuoka Prefecture says some phone lines, such as dial phones and IP phones, cannot use these short numbers. Call 092-471-0099 instead of #7119, and 092-731-4119 instead of #8000.
Can I use #7119 for my child?
Yes. Fukuoka Prefecture says #7119 is also for adults and children. #8000 is the line for children, but it cannot tell you which hospital is open; #7119 can.
Will it cost more at night or on a holiday?
Yes. Fukuoka City says holiday, after-hours and late-night charges are added at the emergency center and clinics, depending on the day and time.
Can the Medical Interpreting Call Center help at a pharmacy?
Yes. Fukuoka City says it interprets between foreign nationals and hospitals or pharmacies that fill prescriptions in the city, including when you get medicine.
Sources (checked September 2026)
- Fukuoka City Fire Bureau: Disaster prevention guide for foreigners, How to call 119 (English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese)
- Fukuoka City Fire Bureau: What to tell the 119 operator (119番通報の要領, updated July 15, 2026)
- Fukuoka City Fire Bureau: Using ambulances at the right time (updated July 13, 2026)
- Fukuoka City Fire Bureau: Live119 video reporting system
- Fukuoka Prefecture: Emergency medical advice lines (#8000, #7119) (updated February 26, 2026) and #8000
- Fukuoka City: Emergency Medical Center and emergency clinics (updated August 17, 2026)
- Fukuoka City Medical Association: Fukuoka Emergency Medical Center (English) and Before you visit the Emergency Medical Center (Japanese)
- Fukuoka City: Medical Interpreting Call Center
- Fukuoka City International Foundation: Emergency case/Ambulance (English)
- Fukuoka City: Life in Fukuoka (English pamphlet, March 2026)
