The number of 110 emergency calls received by the prefectural police last year reached 1,056,222 (a decrease of 9,508 from the previous year), making it the third highest since records became available in 1989. Although the number has remained high, exceeding one million for three consecutive years, approximately 30% of the calls were non-emergencies. On January 10th, “110 Day,” the prefectural police held events across the region to once again call for appropriate use of the service.
According to the Prefectural Police Communications Command Division, the annual number of 110 calls received decreased during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic but began increasing again in 2021. In 2023, the number surpassed one million for the first time in 19 years, reaching a record high of 1,066,358. The numbers for 2024 and 2025 remained at nearly the same level, with calls coming in at a pace of roughly one every 30 seconds.
However, 342,305 calls received in 2025, accounting for 32.4% of the total, were deemed “non-urgent and unnecessary.” These included prank calls, wrong numbers, and calls where the caller did not respond, as well as inquiries for phone numbers and reports such as “there’s a mouse” or “the vending machine didn’t dispense the product.”
A representative from the division emphasized, “A succession of non-urgent calls hinders our primary duties.” For non-emergency situations, the public is directed to use the consultation line “#9110.”
