New “Help Card” for Foreign Residents

March 16, 2010
Bureau of Citizens, Culture and Sports

1. What is the Help Card?

The Bureau of Citizens, Culture and Sport has printed a small, pocket-sized card for foreign residents who may have difficulty understanding Japanese. It contains information pertaining to emergency situations such as disasters, sudden illnesses, and injuries. Written in four languages the card is full of helpful advice such as how to deal with an emergency situation and how to obtain information, and also includes phrases that can be used when requesting help from a Japanese speaker. Aiming to provide peace of mind to the foreign residents of Tokyo, the card is meant to be carried at all times as preparation against an emergency situation. It may even help save lives.

2. Card Features

• Folds up into the size of a commuter pass and can easily fit into a wallet, etc., so that it can be carried around at all times
• Useful not only in the event of an earthquake disaster, but other crises involving your health, life, personal assets, etc
• Lists telephone numbers and URLs where you can obtain emergency information
• Each page is indexed for easy use
• Written in four languages: Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean
• Phrases that can be used when directly requesting help from a Japanese speaker are listed with the Japanese phrases written upside down on the right side of the card, and the corresponding foreign language written right side up on the left. By holding the card between you and the Japanese speaker, you can both read the card at the same time.

3. Content

• Use of the 110 and 119 emergency phone numbers
• Where to find information on hospitals with foreign language speaking staff
• Content arranged by situation (earthquake, accident/theft, flooding, fire, sudden illness, injury, etc.)
  • How to protect yourself
  • Useful phrases when requesting help from a Japanese
• Information on consultation desks for foreign residents
• How to use the Disaster Emergency Message Dial service
• Space for recording your personal information
  • Your name, nationality, blood type, etc., will be helpful in an emergency

4. Number of Cards Issued:

• 150,000

5. Date of Issue

• March 16, 2010

6. Distribution Points

• Sections in Tokyo’s municipal governments in charge of international exchange, foreign resident registration, and disaster management.
• Municipal international exchange associations
• Japanese language classes and other organizations supporting foreign residents
• Japanese language schools, international schools, universities
• Immigration Bureau
• Media geared towards foreign residents