Resources for Americans in Japan

Follow the links below for the web sites, addresses and phone numbers of organizations and businesses of use to Americans living in or visiting Japan. Please note that links to other Internet sites, or the mention of a specific organization or business should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.

Japan Helpline
24-hour volunteer counseling service to assist people in trouble through its own resources or by referral to other sources of help with any problem or crisis. Japan Helpline can also meet with you in person if needed to discuss problems and frustrations.
0120-461-997 (toll-free, but reachable from within Japan only)
0570-000-911 (toll-free, but reachable from within Japan only)
From overseas, please call 81-3-5780-1111/1113
Email: team@jhelp.com

Tokyo English Life Line (TELL), 03-5774-0992, 03-3498-0246
Trained volunteers offer free telephone counseling and information in English seven days a week, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and 7:00 to 11:00 PM.

Online Resources (all Japan) 

• A to Z Index of American Citizen Services, U.S. Embassy Tokyo
• Medical Resources in Japan 
• List of Attorneys in Japan 
• Driving in Japan
• Obtaining a Driver's License in Japan (external link) 
• Interpretation/Translation Services 
• Japanese Embassy and Consulates in the U.S. (external link) 
• U.S. Offices of the Japan National Tourist Organization (external link)

Online Resources (Tokyo and Vicinity)

• Sources of Help in the Tokyo Area (links for counseling, legal, cultural) 
• List of Private Detectives in the Tokyo Area 
• U.S. Tax Return Preparers in the Tokyo Area 
• English Newspapers in the Tokyo Area 
• Places of Worship in the Tokyo Area 
• Real Estate Agencies in the Tokyo Area 
• English Speaking Schools in Japan 
• Japanese Language Institutes for Foreign Students in the Tokyo Area (links)

Online Resources for Other Parts of Japan

• Hokkaido/Sapporo/Northern Japan and Vicinity 
• Nagoya and Vicinity 
• Nagoya International Center (052) 581-0100 can answer questions about living and working in Nagoya. 
• Naha/Okinawa 
• Fukuoka/Kyushu 
• Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe and the Kansai

International Telephone Dialing Instructions

Dialing direct to the U.S. from Japan:

1. First dial Japan’s International Access Code (dial 010)
2. Then dial the U.S. Country Code, Area Code, and local phone number: dial 1, then the 3-digit Area Code, and 7-digit Phone Number.

Example: dial 010 +1+202-555-1234
Intl Access Code + U.S. Country Code + U.S. Phone Number

Dialing Japan from the U.S.:

1. First dial the International Access Code in the U.S. (dial 011)
2. Then dial the Japan Country Code, the City Code (delete the first zero), and the local phone number.

Example (a): the phone number in Tokyo is 03-3224-9999; from a phone in the U.S., dial 011 + 81 (Japan Country Code) + 3 (City Code) + 3224-9999 (local phone number). Do not dial the “0” in the “03” when dialing internationally.

Example (b): the cell phone number in Tokyo is 080-1234-5678; from a phone in the U.S., dial 011 + 81 (Japan Country Code) + 80-1234-5678. All Japanese cell phones have 090 or 080 as the first three digits, when dialing internationally do not dial the first “0”.

Calling Collect from Japan to the U.S.:

Try one of the below numbers to reach U.S. telephone companies (Home Country Direct Service):