Nippon Foundation Telephone Relay Service

The Telephone Relay Service (電話リレーサービス) is a nationwide service that enables deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired people to make and receive phone calls in real time. An interpreter operator relays conversations between sign language or text and spoken voice, allowing communication in both directions. Available 24 hours a day, the service allows people who cannot use a conventional telephone to manage everyday calls independently. For families with a deaf or hard-of-hearing member, particularly a young person becoming more independent, it is one of Japan’s most practical accessibility services, making it possible to handle phone calls without relying on someone else.

The service supports many everyday situations, from making work-related calls and booking or changing hospital appointments to discussing symptoms directly with a healthcare provider or simply staying in touch with family and friends. It also provides access to Japan’s emergency numbers, including 110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance, and 118 for the coast guard, ensuring users can communicate during emergencies when every second matters. After registering, users receive a dedicated phone number beginning with 050, allowing hearing callers to contact them through the relay service.

The service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, as part of Japan’s public communications infrastructure rather than a commercial product. Registration and maintaining the basic service are free, with calls charged by the minute. An optional plan is also available for people who expect to make frequent calls, offering a small monthly fee in exchange for lower per-minute call rates. Current pricing is available on the official website. Customer support is provided during daytime hours by phone, email, and through sign language or text chat.

Much of the website’s guidance is available in both sign language videos and written text. It includes short introductory videos for deaf and hard-of-hearing users, as well as a separate guide explaining to hearing callers how relay conversations work. This is especially valuable because Japanese Sign Language is a first language for many deaf users rather than simply a translation of written Japanese.

The service is operated by the Nippon Foundation Telephone Relay Service (一般財団法人 日本財団電話リレーサービス), the nationwide provider designated by the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications under a 2020 law. Based in Tokyo, it serves users throughout Japan. The relay service and its guidance videos are provided in Japanese Sign Language and Japanese rather than English, so families who primarily use English or another sign language should keep this in mind.