Japan observes Police Consultation Day to promote #9110 hotline

September 11 marks ‘Police Consultation Day’ in Japan, an initiative by the National Police Agency to raise awareness of the ‘#9110’ consultation hotline. This dedicated line is intended for non-emergency inquiries, such as concerns regarding stalking, domestic violence, or fraudulent schemes, helping to prevent crimes before they escalate.

Authorities emphasize that the #9110 number should be used instead of the 110 emergency line for matters that do not require immediate police intervention. Using the emergency line for non-urgent queries can hinder the ability to connect with dispatchers during actual accidents or crimes.

In the Kazuno region, the local police station reported receiving approximately 990 consultations last year, an increase of about 12% from the previous year, averaging 2.7 cases per day. The most frequent topics included crime prevention (24%), special fraud (14%), interpersonal troubles (12%), and cybercrime (10%).