Who made this
Hello. I'm Tabuchi, and I made this app. I was born and raised in Japan, and I still live here.
I drive for a living, so my days are spent out on Japanese roads and in Japanese towns.
It genuinely makes me happy that more and more people are coming to Japan, and I built this so that you can spend your time here with a little more peace of mind.
A difference in language can be the very thing that brings people closer. But for someone travelling, there is no question that it is also the biggest barrier of all.
If this app helps you over that barrier, even a little, I'll be glad.
What I promise you
- Life-critical information is free, and always will be
Every guide, offline mode, the medical card โ all of it. Emergency information behind a paywall helps nobody.
- No ads inside the emergency guides
When you are frightened and looking for an answer, you will not be shown anything except the answer.
- I say what I don't know
Where rules vary by region, or where I couldn't verify something, I write that plainly instead of guessing.
Why is it free?
Because a paywall would defeat the purpose. Someone who needs this app is usually in trouble already, often without a signal, and sometimes frightened. Asking them for a card number at that moment would be absurd. I would rather this reach the person who needs it than earn me anything.
How the information is checked
Facts come from official sources โ government and ministry pages, the Japanese Red Cross, consumer-affairs bodies, and the manufacturers themselves. Each information page shows the date it was last verified, and I re-check them. This app does not replace a doctor or the emergency services: in a real emergency, call 119 or 110 first.
Last verified: 2026-07-31
Found a mistake? Tell me.
A wrong phone number in an emergency is the worst thing this app could do. If you spot anything wrong, outdated, or badly translated, please write to me โ I would rather hear it from you than leave it broken.
Report a mistakeOr email me directly: info@japanhelpnow.com