# Mental health support in Japan in English: counselling and crisis lines

URL: https://japanhow.com/life/health/mental-health-support-japan-english/
Author: JapanHow editors
Updated: Oct 29, 2026

## Summary

If you need mental health support in English in Japan, as of October 2026 two free lines can help. TELL Lifeline (0800-300-8355, English, confidential) runs by weekly schedule, with chat from 16:00 daily. The Yorisoi Hotline (0120-279-338, press 2) takes foreign-language calls daily from 10:00 to 22:00, with languages varying by time. For ongoing care, find a psychiatry clinic through JNTO's search or Tokyo's foreign-patient list. If life is in danger, call 110 or 119.

## Key facts

- TELL Lifeline: 0800-300-8355, English, free
- Yorisoi (multilingual): 0120-279-338, press 2
- Yorisoi hours: Daily 10:00-22:00
- Outpatient psychiatry scheme: 10% copay (自立支援医療)

If you need mental health support in English in Japan, two free lines can help. As of October 2026, **TELL Lifeline** (**0800-300-8355**, English, confidential) runs on a weekly schedule, and the **Yorisoi Hotline** (**0120-279-338**, press **2** for foreign languages) takes calls every day from 10:00 to 22:00. For ongoing care, find a psychiatry clinic that lists your language, and ask your city office about the 10% copay scheme.

**If your life is in immediate danger:** Call **110** (police) or **119** (ambulance). For more numbers, see [emergency numbers in Japan](/life/safety/emergency-numbers-japan/).

## Which crisis lines work in English?

| Line | Number | Languages | Hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TELL Lifeline | 0800-300-8355 (also 03-5774-0992) | English | Varies by day; see [TELL's weekly hours](https://telljp.com/tell-hours/) | Free, confidential |
| TELL Chat | Via telljp.com | English | From 16:00 daily; end time varies | Free, confidential |
| Yorisoi Hotline | 0120-279-338, then press 2 | English, Tagalog, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Vietnamese, Nepali, Indonesian and others | Daily 10:00 to 22:00 | Toll-free |

**TELL Lifeline** does not show your number to the volunteer, and you don't have to give your name. TELL says calls may be monitored for training. Hours differ by weekday (for example, phone is split into two blocks on Tuesday to Thursday), and TELL notes last-minute changes can happen, so check the hours page before you call.

**The Yorisoi Hotline** accepts calls from anywhere in Japan. After the Japanese guidance, press 2 for foreign languages. Which language is staffed varies by time of day. Yorisoi also offers Facebook Messenger, a chat form and fax for people who find phone calls hard.

## How do I find a psychiatrist or counselor who speaks my language?

Crisis lines listen. For diagnosis, therapy or medication you need a clinic.

- **JNTO Medical Institution Search** has a Psychiatry department filter and a language filter. It is written for visitors and does not say whether residents may use it, but it lists clinics by language.
- **Tokyo's list of foreign-patient institutions** shows each facility's supported languages by ward.
- For the full set of finder tools and phone interpreters, see [English-speaking hospitals and clinics in Japan](/life/health/english-speaking-hospital-japan/).

Both lists are self-reported and may be out of date. **Call first.** Confirm that the clinic is taking new patients, that it can see you in your language, and what to bring. Bring your insurance proof ([the My Number Card as your health insurance card](/life/health/my-number-health-insurance-card/)).

## What does it cost?

Insured visits carry the usual copay: 30% for ages 6 to 69 (see the [National Health Insurance guide](/money/insurance/national-health-insurance-japan-foreigners/)). Ask the clinic whether your visit is insured. Without Japanese public insurance you pay the full price.

For long-term outpatient psychiatric treatment there is a scheme called **自立支援医療 (精神通院医療)**. Per Minato City's page:

- Insurance and public funds cover 90%, so you pay **10%**.
- You apply at your ward or city office with a designated medical certificate (required once every two years) and proof of your health insurance eligibility.
- The certificate is valid for one year. You can renew from three months before it expires.
- Some households exempt from resident tax, and people on public assistance, pay nothing.

The Minato page gives no separate rules for foreign residents. Ask your own office whether your situation qualifies.

## If you are not sure where to start

Pick the lowest-effort step: call Yorisoi and press 2, or open TELL chat. Then ask for help finding a clinic. If a Japanese phone call is hard, ask your ward office about interpretation. Minato City, for example, mentions a multilingual three-way phone service.

This page is general information, not medical advice.

## More guides

- [Health checkups in Japan](/life/health/health-checkup-japan/)
- [Prescription medicine in Japan](/life/health/prescription-medicine-japan/)

## Questions people ask

### Is there a free English mental health hotline in Japan?

Yes. TELL Lifeline (0800-300-8355, toll free) is English, free and confidential. Its phone and chat hours vary by day, so check telljp.com/tell-hours first. If someone's life is in immediate danger, call 110 or 119.

### Can I get help in a language other than English?

The Yorisoi Hotline (0120-279-338) takes foreign-language calls: press 2 after the Japanese guidance. Languages include English, Tagalog, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Vietnamese, Nepali and Indonesian, but availability varies by time of day.

### How do I find a psychiatrist who speaks English in Japan?

Use the Psychiatry department and language filters in JNTO's Medical Institution Search, or Tokyo's foreign-patient list of institutions. Both are self-reported, so call first to confirm language and that the clinic is taking new patients.

### Can I pay less for long-term psychiatric treatment?

Japan has a scheme called 自立支援医療 (精神通院医療) that cuts the copay for outpatient psychiatric care to 10%. You apply at your ward or city office with a doctor's certificate and proof of health insurance. Minato City's page gives no separate rules for foreign residents, so ask your office.

## Sources

- [TELL Lifeline](https://telljp.com/lifeline/), TELL (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [TELL Lifeline weekly hours](https://telljp.com/tell-hours/), TELL (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [Yorisoi Hotline (English)](https://www.since2011.net/yorisoi/en/), Yorisoi Hotline (社会的包摂サポートセンター) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [よりそいホットライン](https://www.since2011.net/yorisoi/), Yorisoi Hotline (社会的包摂サポートセンター) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [外国人患者の受け入れが可能な医療機関のリスト（目黒区・世田谷区・渋谷区）](https://www.hokeniryo.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/iryo/iryo_hoken/medical_info/hospitals_list/meguroku), Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Health and Medical Care (東京都保健医療局) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)
- [Guide for when you are feeling ill: Medical Institution Search](https://www.jnto.go.jp/emergency/eng/mi_guide.html), Japan National Tourism Organization / Japan Tourism Agency (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [医療費の一部負担（自己負担）割合について](https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000937919.pdf), Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [自立支援医療（精神通院医療）](https://www.city.minato.tokyo.jp/kenko/fukushi/shogaisha/iryo/jiritsushien.html), Minato City (港区) (accessed Oct 29, 2026)