119 is the telephone number people call in case of a fire, accident, or medical emergency. Fire and disaster management in Japan is organized on the local government level, to enable swift arrival at the site and appropriate action to be taken when the need arises, and fire and disaster management departments in each municipality carry out fire-fighting, relief and first-aid activities. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency, which is an administrative agency of the central government is in charge of establishing a comprehensive fire and disaster management, and disaster prevention system on a national level.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency is also engaged in planning and drafting of the system for fire and disaster management, strengthening of crisis-management systems to deal with major earthquake disasters and/or terrorism-related disasters, enhancement of the growing needs of emergency services against the backdrop of an aging society, as well as development of technology in the field of fire and disaster management, and disaster prevention, such as fire control, and communication and contacting systems.