Federation of Inochi no Denwa

Inochi no Denwa (いのちの電話), meaning “Lifeline,” is Japan’s free, confidential telephone counseling service for anyone in emotional distress, run by the Federation of Inochi no Denwa (日本いのちの電話連盟).

Toll-free line: 0120-783-556, every day 4pm to 9pm, and from 8am on the 10th of each month through to 8am on the 11th.
Navi Dial line: 0570-783-556, every day 10am to 10pm (this line is not covered by free-call plans).
Internet and email consultation is also available for people who find a phone call too hard.

Anyone can call, at any time within these hours, about feelings they cannot say out loud to anyone else. You do not have to give your name, what you say is kept confidential, and calls are free apart from any phone charges. The people who answer are trained volunteer counselors. The federation coordinates 53 centers across the country, and you can call a center in any region, not only your own.

Inochi no Denwa also runs support for people bereaved by suicide, through gatherings where they can share their feelings with others who understand. This is a national service reached by phone and online rather than a place you visit. The service is delivered in Japanese, and the site does not mention English support, so a foreign resident who is not comfortable in Japanese may want a bilingual friend to help. For counseling in English, TELL Lifeline is Japan’s established English-language mental health service and is a better first call for many foreign residents. If you or someone you love is struggling, please reach out, you do not have to carry it alone.