Where to Get Official Help in Japan When You Do Not Speak Japanese

2026年9月24日

Where to Get Official Help in Japan When You Do Not Speak Japanese

Start with your city or ward’s multilingual consultation desk for everyday problems. Use a specialist national service when the issue concerns immigration, work, law, or human rights. These desks can explain procedures, identify the correct office, and help you prepare for the next step.

This guide is for foreign residents, workers, students, and people who have recently moved to Japan. The service you need depends more on the type of problem than on your nationality or residence status.

Quick guide

City or ward procedures and daily life: contact your local multilingual consultation desk.
Status of residence and immigration procedures: contact the Immigration Information Center or FRESC.
Wages, dismissal, working hours, or workplace conditions: use a Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare consultation service.
Legal disputes: contact Houterasu for legal information and referrals.
Discrimination or other human-rights concerns: use the Foreign-language Human Rights Hotline.

Information in this article was checked in August 2026. Languages, opening days, and appointment rules can change, so confirm them on the linked official page before visiting or calling.

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Begin with the office that handles your type of problem

A multilingual desk is a route into the correct public service, not one office that can solve every problem. Choosing by subject will usually save more time than calling the nearest organization without checking its role.

For city hall procedures and daily life

Look for a local tabunka kyōsei sōdan madoguchi—a multicultural consultation desk—or gaikokujin sōdan madoguchi, meaning a consultation desk for foreign residents.

These local services may help with matters such as:

residence registration and moving notifications;
National Health Insurance and pension procedures;
local taxes and municipal notices;
childcare, school enrollment, and welfare services;
housing, neighborhood rules, and waste collection;
referrals to legal, labor, medical, or immigration specialists.

The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, commonly called CLAIR, publishes an official nationwide list of consultation centers. It includes prefectural and municipal services from Hokkaido to Okinawa.

Services differ considerably by location. A large city may have advisers in several languages every weekday. A smaller municipality may use a telephone interpreter, translation device, or adviser available only on selected days.

When searching a municipal website, try these terms with the name of your city:

外国人相談 — gaikokujin sōdan, consultation for foreign residents;
多言語相談 — tagengo sōdan, multilingual consultation;
国際交流協会 — kokusai kōryū kyōkai, international association;
やさしい日本語 — yasashii Nihongo, plain or easy Japanese.

For immigration and residence procedures

The Immigration Services Agency’s information centers answer general questions about entry, residence procedures, and application documents. Their official page lists telephone and in-person services, including supported languages and regional counters.

The main Immigration Information Center numbers are:

0570-013904 from within Japan;
03-5796-7112 for some IP phones or calls from overseas;
weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., excluding public holidays and the year-end/New Year closure.

The service supports Japanese and multiple foreign languages. Email inquiries are limited to Japanese and English. Check the Immigration Information Center page before calling because service details can change.

Use this service for questions such as:

which residence procedure applies to your situation;
where and how to submit an application;
what an item on an official application form means;
general requirements shown in official immigration guidance.

The center provides general procedural information. It does not guarantee that an application will be approved or replace individual advice from a qualified immigration lawyer or certified administrative procedures specialist.

When FRESC is useful

The Foreign Residents Support Center, known as FRESC, brings several government-related services together at Yotsuya Tower in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Its participating offices cover areas including residence procedures, employment, labor problems, human rights, and legal information.

FRESC is especially useful when one problem crosses several systems. For example, the end of a job may create separate questions about unpaid wages, job searching, and status of residence. Those questions are handled by different offices even when they arise from the same event.

The FRESC main number is 0570-011000. Some IP phones and overseas callers can use 03-5363-3013. The telephone menu offers Japanese and English guidance, after which callers select the relevant organization. General opening hours are weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

FRESC is in Tokyo, but you do not always need to travel there. Some services are available by telephone, and immigration consultations at FRESC may be offered in person or online by reservation. Read the official FRESC contact information to identify the correct office and booking method.

ここがポイント: A general multilingual desk helps you identify the problem and the responsible agency. A specialist office then explains the rules within its own field. You may need both.

Workers should separate job-search help from labor-problem help

Hello Work and labor consultation services have different roles. One helps people find employment; the other deals with working conditions and possible violations of labor rules.

Job searching and unemployment procedures

Hello Work offices provide public employment services. Multilingual support may be available through specialized employment centers, selected local offices, or telephone interpretation.

Use employment services for matters such as:

looking for vacancies;
preparing for job applications;
understanding employment-service procedures;
asking about unemployment-related processes after leaving a job.

Do not assume that every Hello Work counter has an adviser who speaks your language throughout the day. Check the local office’s schedule first.

Wages, hours, dismissal, and workplace conditions

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare provides a Telephone Consultation Service for Foreign Workers in 13 languages. It explains laws and regulations and may refer callers to the appropriate authority.

As of August 2026:

English, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Nepali are available Monday through Friday.
Other supported languages have specific weekdays.
Standard service hours are 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with a break from noon to 1:00 p.m.
Calls are charged; the rate depends on whether you call from a landline or mobile phone.

The English number is 0570-001-701. Consult the official multilingual labor hotline page for all language-specific numbers and current schedules.

Before calling, collect concrete records:

your employment contract or rōdō keiyakusho;
wage statements, called kyūyo meisai;
work schedules and time records;
messages from your employer;
the company’s name, address, and telephone number;
a short timeline with dates and amounts.

A verbal description may begin the conversation, but documents help the adviser determine which office or rule is relevant.

Legal information and human-rights counseling are separate services

A referral service can explain where to seek legal advice, while a human-rights hotline handles concerns such as discrimination and abuse. Neither should be confused with an emergency service.

Houterasu for legal information and referrals

Houterasu, officially the Japan Legal Support Center, provides information about Japan’s legal system and relevant consultation organizations. Its Multilingual Information Service uses a three-way call between the caller, an interpreter, and Houterasu staff.

The service is available at 0570-078377, weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays. Supported languages include English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Nepali, Thai, and Indonesian.

Houterasu can help identify an appropriate legal consultation service for issues such as divorce, debt, traffic accidents, dismissal, or other disputes. However, its information service is not itself a full consultation in which a lawyer decides what action you should take.

Civil legal aid is a separate program with eligibility conditions. Houterasu states that it is generally available to foreign nationals lawfully residing in Japan who meet the applicable requirements. Confirm your individual eligibility through the Houterasu multilingual service.

Human-rights concerns

Legal Affairs Bureaus provide a nationwide Foreign-language Human Rights Hotline for people who are not comfortable speaking Japanese.

Telephone: 0570-090-911
Hours: weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Languages: English, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Nepali, Spanish, Indonesian, and Thai

The service covers human-rights concerns, including discrimination and other forms of mistreatment. Details are available on the Ministry of Justice’s foreign-language human-rights counseling page.

If someone is in immediate danger, do not wait for a weekday consultation desk. Call 110 for police or 119 for an ambulance or fire service.

What multilingual consultation usually costs

Many government information and consultation services do not charge a consultation fee, but the call, interpretation arrangement, or later professional service may cost money. Ask about charges before agreeing to the next step.

Possible costs include:

ordinary telephone or Navi Dial charges;
transportation to an in-person appointment;
professional fees for a lawyer or other specialist;
document translation;
certificates issued by a municipal office;
postage or application fees connected to the actual procedure.

“Free consultation” does not always mean that every service after the first meeting is free. It may mean that an initial adviser listens, gives general information, or refers you to another organization without charging a consultation fee.

Ask these questions clearly:

“Is this consultation free?”
“Will I pay for the interpreter?”
“Is the next appointment with a lawyer or another paid professional?”
“Can you tell me the expected fee before I book?”

Prepare before you call or visit

A one-page timeline and the original notice usually help more than a long general explanation. Consultation staff need dates, responsible organizations, and document names to route the case correctly.

Bring or prepare these items

your residence card, if identification is required;
the official letter, bill, contract, or notice connected to the problem;
photographs or scans of relevant pages;
names and contact details of the office, employer, landlord, school, or company involved;
important dates, deadlines, and amounts;
your preferred language;
a short list of questions.

Do not send passport details, residence-card numbers, medical records, or other sensitive information through an ordinary contact form unless the official service specifically instructs you to do so.

Use a simple opening statement

A short introduction helps the adviser identify the correct field:

“I live in [city]. I need help in [language]. I received this notice from [office or company] on [date]. The deadline is [date]. I want to know which office handles it and what I should bring.”

If the desk cannot answer the issue, ask for the official name, telephone number, and website of the organization that can. Write down the adviser’s department and any reference number provided.

Regional and language differences matter

The word “multilingual” does not mean that every language is available at every time or through every contact method. Local staffing is one of the biggest practical differences between consultation desks.

A service may offer your language through:

an adviser physically present at the counter;
a telephone interpreter joining the conversation;
remote video interpretation;
machine translation;
an appointment on a particular weekday.

These methods are not interchangeable. A complex legal or medical explanation may require a trained interpreter, while machine translation may be used only for basic reception questions.

Before visiting, confirm:

whether your language is available on that date;
whether advance booking is required;
whether the consultation is in person, by telephone, or online;
whether you must live in that prefecture or municipality;
whether the desk covers your subject;
whether documents can be reviewed during the consultation.

The CLAIR directory is a useful starting point, but the linked local website should be treated as the final source for current hours and eligibility.

Common mistakes that delay help

Most delays come from contacting the wrong organization, waiting past a deadline, or arriving without the relevant notice. These problems are usually preventable.

Assuming city hall controls every procedure

Municipal offices handle many resident services, but they do not decide immigration applications, private employment disputes, or court cases. A city consultation desk may still provide a referral.

Waiting for perfect translation

Contact a desk promptly if a document has a deadline. Tell the adviser the date first, even if you cannot yet explain every detail. Some objections, applications, and payment arrangements become harder after the stated period ends.

Using an emergency number for general advice

Police and ambulance lines are for urgent situations. Routine questions about visas, contracts, taxes, or workplace rules belong with the relevant consultation service.

Treating interpretation as professional advice

An interpreter transfers meaning between languages. The interpreter does not automatically become your lawyer, immigration specialist, doctor, or tax adviser.

Relying on an unofficial translation of a notice

A friend or translation app may help you understand the general subject. For a decision involving residence status, employment rights, taxes, health, or legal deadlines, confirm the meaning with the responsible public body or an appropriately qualified professional.

A practical route for common situations

Start broad only when you genuinely do not know which system is involved; otherwise, go directly to the specialist service.

A city tax or health-insurance notice: begin with the issuing municipal department or the city’s multilingual desk.
A residence-status application: contact the Immigration Information Center; use a qualified specialist for individual legal strategy.
Unpaid wages or excessive working hours: contact the foreign-worker labor consultation service and keep contracts and time records.
A dispute with a landlord or company: ask a local consultation desk or Houterasu where to obtain appropriate legal advice.
Discrimination or human-rights concerns: contact the Foreign-language Human Rights Hotline.
A problem involving several systems: ask a local one-stop desk or FRESC to identify the separate offices involved.

Final checklist

Official multilingual help is available, but the system works as a network rather than a single universal hotline. Your next step should be concrete:

identify whether the problem is local administration, immigration, work, law, or human rights;
check the official language schedule before calling;
prepare the original document and a dated timeline;
state any deadline at the beginning;
ask whether the consultation, interpretation, or referral has a fee;
confirm the name of the next responsible office before ending the conversation.

Save the relevant number before a problem becomes urgent. The most important watchpoint is the deadline printed on the document in front of you: multilingual support can explain the route, but it cannot always restore an expired application or appeal period.

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