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Fainting in Japan (Syncope): When to Call 119 + What to Do

Last updated: 2026-03-04

Fainting is scary because it looks like “they’re gone” — even when it’s brief. Most fainting episodes are not life-threatening, but some are. This page is designed to help you act fast and not miss the dangerous cases.

General information, not medical advice. If you’re seriously worried, treat it as an emergency.

Quick Answer (TL;DR)

  • Call 119 immediately if the person is not breathing normally, cannot be woken quickly, has chest pain/palpitations, seizure-like jerking, stroke-like symptoms, or was badly injured in the fall.
  • In Japan, 119 is the emergency number for ambulance/fire, and dispatchers will ask your location and what happened.
  • If you can’t connect to 119 from a mobile phone (rare but possible), use a public phone or ask nearby people/shops to call.

30-Second Decision Box

Call an ambulance (119) now if any of these apply

  • Not breathing / abnormal breathing
  • Cannot be woken up within about 1 minute, or does not fully recover
  • Chest pain, or pounding/fluttering/irregular heartbeat
  • Shaking/jerking like a seizure
  • Severe trouble speaking/moving, face droop, new weakness (possible stroke)
  • Serious injury from the fall (head injury, heavy bleeding)
  • Fainted while exercising, or fainted while lying down (higher risk)

Not sure (brief faint, fully awake now, feels okay)?

If the person is stable and fully alert, you can consider local telephone advice services such as #7119 in some regions (often Japanese-only).

Step 1 — How to call 119 (Japan)

When you call 119, start with:

  • “Medical emergency.”
  • Your location (hotel name / landmark / address)
  • “Someone fainted and is [unconscious / awake now / not breathing].”

Japan’s FDMA guidance explains the dispatcher will ask what happened and where you are—answer slowly and clearly.

If your mobile call won’t connect: use a public phone, ask a nearby shop/hotel staff to call, or go to the nearest fire station.

What to say (copy-paste)

  • “Medical emergency.”
  • “Someone fainted.”
  • “They are not breathing normally / cannot wake up / they woke up but are confused.”
  • “My location is: [hotel name / landmark / address].”

Step 2 — What to do immediately (first aid)

1) Check breathing and responsiveness

  • Talk to them, tap their shoulder.
  • Look for normal breathing.

If they are unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 119 and start CPR if you can. St John Ambulance emphasizes calling emergency services and starting CPR for unresponsive/not-breathing casualties.

2) If they are breathing but unconscious: recovery position

Place them on their side (recovery position) to keep the airway open and reduce choking risk.

3) If they fainted but are now awake: lie them down, raise legs

  • Lay them flat and raise their legs to improve blood flow to the brain.
  • Loosen tight clothing around neck/waist.
  • Keep the area cool and calm.

Do not give food/drink until they are fully awake and not nauseated.

Step 3 — After they wake up: don’t “bounce back” too fast

Even if they feel better:

  • Sit up slowly.
  • Stand only with support.
  • If they fainted due to heat, dehydration, or prolonged standing, symptoms can rebound if they rush.

If this is a first-time faint, or if it keeps happening, they should get medical evaluation (fainting can signal heart rhythm issues, low blood sugar, etc.).

When fainting is especially concerning (don’t ignore)

Seek urgent help / treat as high risk if fainting:

  • happened during exercise or while lying down
  • came with chest pain or palpitations
  • caused a head injury
  • involved seizure-like movements
  • was followed by confusion, speech trouble, or weakness

Help lines (Japan)

  • Japan Visitor Hotline (24/7) can help foreign visitors with emergencies and navigation: 050-3816-2787 (from overseas: +81-50-3816-2787).
  • #7119 exists in some regions as a “ambulance vs hospital” consultation line (often Japanese-only).

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