Kirk here with news that you don’t need to be able to speak Japanese to call 110. Here’s a ChatGPT translation of the article:
— start translation — “Call 110 Even If You Don’t Understand Japanese”: International Students Experience Reporting Through an Interpreter-Assisted Three-Way Call January 10, 2024 (Wednesday) 19:20 Domestic News
On “110 Day,” international students learned how to make emergency calls.
In Kumamoto Prefecture, the number of emergency calls from non-Japanese speakers has sharply increased compared to the previous year, with 89 cases reported by the end of November last year (89 cases last year, 3 cases the year before).
In response, the prefectural police held a training session on 110 emergency calls targeting foreigners.
The participating international students experienced making 110 emergency calls through a three-way call with an interpreter.
An international student who participated said, “I thought it would take time because an interpreter was involved, but it was easy to use because the interpretation was clear.”
The prefectural police are urging, “Even if you don’t understand Japanese, please feel free to call 110 if you encounter an incident or accident.” — end translation —
By the way, you can view the TV report (video) on the linked page.
