What is the Consumer Hotline for Tourists?

The Consumer Hotline for Tourists is a consumer consultation service for foreign visitors to Japan operated by the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, Incorporated Administrative Agency of Japan.
The Consumer Hotline for Visitors provides advice by telephone to help callers negotiate with businesses on their own. Please note that this hotline does not have legal enforcement authority or supervisory powers over businesses. We ask for your understanding of this point when seeking consultation.

About Telephone Consultations

• The telephone consultations we offer take place between three parties--you (the consumer), an interpreter, and a staff member. When you call, the first person you will speak to is the interpreter.
• Calls made to the hotline are toll calls for which you must pay the charges.
• Consultations are, as a rule, only for the person facing the specific issue. Please do not call on behalf of another person.
• All calls are recorded in order to properly ascertain the details of the situation.
• At the start of the call, you may be asked for your personal information (name, country, etc.).
• If you intentionally hang up, the consultation is over at that point. You will not receive a call back.

About the Handling of Personal Information from a Consultation

• The personal information that is obtained through the consultation will be used only for the consultation and not for any other purpose without your consent.
• The personal information obtained will not be provided to any third party without your consent. If, however, a court or law enforcement, for example, requests that information, it may be provided as required to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
• The information we acquire, including personal information, may be registered, after removing identifiers, in our nationwide consumer information system known as PIO-NET (Practical Living Information Online Network System) to help in producing statistical materials, consultation case studies, and the FAQ on our website.
• Please be aware that any data, papers, or other materials provided to us will not be returned, as a rule.

What is National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan

To contribute to the stability and improvement of the lives of the people, the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan takes a comprehensive perspective to provide information and conduct research on lives of the people, and implements procedures for the legal settlement of important consumer disputes.

Established: October 1, 2003

Related Law: Established under the Act on National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan (Act No. 123, December 4, 2002)

Address: 3-1-1Yaei, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara-shi, Kanagawa (Sagamihara Office)
    3-13-22 Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Tokyo Office)

Web Site: https://www.kokusen.go.jp/