1. Why 110 Is Not a Direct Line to the Nearest Police Box
According to the Police White Paper, the number of accepted 110 emergency calls in 2024 was about 10.6 million. This averages to one call every 3.0 seconds, calculated as one call per approximately 11 people in the population [4]. Note that "one in 11 people" is a calculated ratio, not the actual number of distinct individuals who called. Non-responses, pranks, and wrong numbers are not included in this count [4].
These calls do not connect to a nearby police box or police station. Instead, they typically connect to the Communications Command Room of the prefectural police headquarters that has jurisdiction over the area where the call was made [1]. The Communications Command Room is not just a place to receive reports. It immediately relays the received information to police stations and other units, rushing local community police officers to the scene. If necessary, it may also issue an emergency deployment order [4]. It is easier to understand if you think of 110 not as a "phone to call nearby people," but as a "phone that connects to the room responsible for making calls."
2. How Shizuoka Prefecture Sends Every 110 Call to One Communications Command Room
In Shizuoka Prefecture, no matter where in the prefecture you call from, the call connects to the Communications Command Room inside the Prefectural Police Headquarters in Shizuoka City, nicknamed "110 Center Shizuoka." It does not connect directly to a local police station [2]. Similarly, in Shimane Prefecture, all 110 calls connect to the Communications Command Room at the police headquarters in Matsue City [3].
So, what happens to people near prefectural borders? According to Shizuoka Prefectural Police guidance, if you call from a mobile phone near a prefectural border, the call may connect to the police headquarters of the neighboring prefecture. In that case, the call is transferred from the receiving prefecture to the command room of the correct prefecture for response [2]. Shimane Prefectural Police also advises that because calls may connect to a neighboring prefecture's police, you should follow the instructions of the officer who answers [3]. In other words, 110 is a phone that eventually reaches "the command room of the prefecture responsible for where you called from," but which prefecture's room answers first can change depending on where you are.
3. How Mobile Phones Send Your Location to the Police When You Call 110
When you call 110 from a mobile phone or smartphone, location information is sent to the Communications Command Room simultaneously with the caller's voice. This location information notification system is operated by all prefectural police headquarters nationwide [4].
The location is an approximate position derived from the location of base stations, among other things. On devices equipped with GPS, a more precise location is notified. However, depending on the device model or terrain, the system may not work, making it difficult to determine the location [2][3].
In a 2008 notice by NTT Docomo, the accuracy of location based on base station information was stated to be between several hundred meters and 10,000 meters. Because receiving radio waves from distant base stations can sometimes result in a notified position that differs from reality, they ask callers to convey the location and landmarks by voice [5]. This is guidance from 2008 and does not indicate current accuracy figures. Therefore, Shimane Prefectural Police advises that even if location information is received, you should still convey the municipality name and landmarks. They also note that it is acceptable to answer "I don't know" for any details you are unsure of [3].
4. How the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Separates Call Reception from Radio Command
In the Metropolitan Police Department's Communications Command Center, there are "110 Reception Desks" that receive 110 calls from within the 23 wards of Tokyo, and "Radio Command Desks" that issue instructions via radio to active patrol cars and police officers at police boxes [6]. In this specific center, the job of receiving calls and the job of issuing instructions are separated into different desks.
Shizuoka Prefecture's 110 Center also operates with reception staff and command staff for police stations and patrol cars working in coordination [2]. Dispatches may begin even while the call is still in progress. According to Shizuoka Prefecture's guidance, patrol cars near the scene may be dispatched while the report is being received. It is not always the case that they depart only after listening to the entire call; dispatches may begin as soon as the location and situation are known [2].
5. Why 110 Was Once a Different Number in Different Cities
Service for 110 began in 1948 (Showa 23). At that time, it was not common across the country; for example, Tokyo used 110, while Osaka used 1110. It was unified to "110" nationwide in 1954 (Showa 29) [7]. There is also an explanation that it started in Tokyo's wards in October 1948, with Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe using 1110, and Nagoya using 118 [8].
The method of receiving calls has also changed. In Shizuoka Prefecture, at the start of the system, police stations with jurisdiction over the reporting area received the calls. After repeated reviews of the reception method, in 1996 (Heisei 8), the Communications Command Room at the police headquarters began receiving all 110 calls within the prefecture in a batch [7]. This is an example from Shizuoka Prefecture, not a nationwide simultaneous change.
Regarding the origin of the number 110: The fire emergency number was set to "112" with the dialing system in 1926, but due to frequent wrong numbers, it was changed to "119" the following year, according to tradition. There is also an explanation that 110 and 119 combine the shortest dial digit "1" with the longer dial digits "0" and "9" [9]. However, the official reason for choosing "110" is not written in the materials, and this is merely an explanation that is "said to be" the case.
6. What to Tell the Police on a 110 Call and When to Use Non-Emergency Consultation Lines
Shimane Prefectural Police lists what they want you to convey when calling 110: what happened, when, where, whether there are injured persons, and the characteristics of the suspect or vehicle. It is acceptable to answer "I don't know" for any details you are unsure of [3].
Among these, "where" is confirmed by voice even if location information is received. Try practicing saying your address with your family. Next, try naming one nearby landmark (a shop name, traffic light, utility pole number, bus stop, etc.). Do not actually call 110 to practice.
For consultations that do not require emergency response, people are encouraged to use "#9110," which accepts police consultations, or various other consultation hotlines [4]. For people who have difficulty reporting by voice, the National Police Agency has the "110 Ban App System," which allows reporting to the police headquarters responsible for the location from anywhere in Japan via chat. Pre-registration is required to use it [10].
Even for the same 110 number, names and structures differ slightly by prefecture, such as Tokyo's reception and radio command desks versus Shizuoka's 110 Center. Look at the guidance on how to make emergency calls on the police page for your own prefecture to see the similarities and differences with the terms in this article.