Car Accident in Japan with a Rental Car: What to Do First
Short answer
After a car accident in Japan, stop safely with the hazard lights on, help anyone injured and call 119, then call the police on 110 — always, even for a small scrape, because the law requires it and insurance cannot pay without a police report. Do not settle with the other driver. Call Go on Rent-a-Car, then report in the trip page with your location and photos.
What to do first: the order that matters
A car accident in Japan follows the same order every time. Safety first, then calls, then paperwork.
- Make it safe. Stop the car in a safe place and turn on the hazard lights. On an expressway, put out the warning triangle about 50 m behind the car and wait behind the guardrail. Do not stay on the road to move the car or take photos.
- Help anyone injured. If someone is hurt or there is a fire, call 119. Say "kyūkyū" (ambulance) or "kaji" (fire).
- Call the police on 110 — always. Even for a scratch, and even if only your car is damaged. The law requires it, and without a police report the insurance cannot pay.
- Do not settle on the spot. Do not agree to pay or promise anything to the other party, and do not sign anything you cannot read.
- Call Go on Rent-a-Car: +81 80-7619-5098. We guide you and can talk to the police or the other driver in Japanese if needed.
- Report it in your trip page with your location and photos, when it is safe.
Emergency numbers in Japan
| Who | Number | When to call |
|---|---|---|
| Police | 110 | Every traffic accident, even a small one. You can speak English; a police interpreter joins the call if needed. |
| Ambulance / fire | 119 | Injury, sudden illness or fire. Many areas can add a phone interpreter (depends on the area). |
| Go on Rent-a-Car | +81 80-7619-5098 | Accident, delay or any question about the car |
| JAF Road Service | #8139 (0570-00-8139) | Breakdown, flat tyre, flat battery, keys locked in. 24 hours, 365 days, free interpreter. The road service may cost money. |
| Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO) | 050-3816-2787 | 24-hour help for visitors in English, Chinese and Korean |
Calling 110 or 119 does not share your location automatically. Say where you are on the phone. Our emergency guide can show your current location so you can read it out.
Why you must call the police, even for a small scrape
Under Article 72(1) of Japan's Road Traffic Act, the driver must immediately stop driving, help anyone injured, prevent further danger on the road and report the accident to the police. This also applies to accidents that cause only property damage, such as touching a pole in a car park.
The police report also decides your cover. Under our rental terms, an accident that was not reported to the police is not covered by insurance or the Safety Pack, so the repair costs would be yours. When the officer arrives, ask for his or her name and police station: we need them for the accident certificate. When it is safe, write down the other driver's name, phone number, plate number and insurance.
Japanese phrases for the police, an ambulance or road service are in the emergency guide; tap a line to show it in large text.
Report it in your trip page: location and 4 photos
Every Go on booking has its own trip page. Open it from the link in your booking emails, or log in to My bookings and choose Report accident / damage. In the trip page, tap Report accident, breakdown or damage. The form asks:
- what happened: an accident, or a new scratch or damage you found
- when and where it happened
- whether another vehicle was involved, whether anyone is injured and whether the car can be driven
- whether the police were told (and the police station and report number, if you know them)
Press Get my current location to attach where you are. Your location is read once, only when you press the button, and is sent to us only together with the report. We never track your location.
After Send report you receive a report number. Then add, as a rule, 4 photos of the damage: the whole car with the damage, a close-up from about 50 cm, the same damage from another angle, and the surroundings or the other side of the car. You can send the first report without photos and add them later. Never delay calling the police or us because of photos. If you could not take some photos — for example, the police asked you to move the car — tell us why in the form. With no signal, keep the page open: the photos are sent when you are back online.
Our terms ask you to contact us immediately and to report the date, time, place, what happened and whether the police were informed within 24 hours, with photos of the damage and the surroundings. We never ask you to take photos in a dangerous place or against police instructions, and a missing report or photo does not affect your cover if it did not cause or increase the loss.
What happens next: case review and cover
Your report becomes a case that you can follow in the trip page, with statuses such as *Received*, *Checking the police report*, *With the insurer*, *Checking the repair estimate*, *Cost notice sent* and *Settled*.
| Situation | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Accident covered by insurance, Safety Pack included | ¥0 — the Safety Pack (¥1,650 a day, required) waives the ¥50,000 deductible and the Non-Operation Charge (¥20,000 if the car can be driven, ¥50,000 if it cannot) |
| Accident not reported to the police | Repair costs, NOC, towing and other loss |
| Alcohol or drugs, no valid licence, or an unregistered driver | Repair costs, NOC, towing and other loss |
| Accident caused by a prohibited act (other than the smoking and pet rules), or intentional damage | Repair costs, NOC, towing and other loss |
Every rental includes insurance with unlimited cover for injury to others and damage to property, and cover for the car up to its market value. A front-bumper repair can cost about ¥300,000–500,000; with covered damage you pay ¥0. We decide each case after checking the facts (the police, your explanation and the insurer's decision), and we never charge you again for an amount we received from insurance. Details are in our insurance and NOC guide.
If you do have something to pay, we email you an itemized notice with photos and documents first. The trip page shows your share and the date until which you can object. You can object within 20 days of receiving the notice, using the Message / objection box. While we review an objection, we do not charge your card. Only after that do we charge the card saved at booking, and only where the terms allow.
Breakdown, flat battery, flat tyre or lost keys
Move to a safe place if you can and turn on the hazard lights. On an expressway, do not try to fix the car — wait behind the guardrail and use the emergency phone (every 1 km, green SOS sign) or call 110, then call us.
Contact us first. If you cannot reach us, for example at night, call JAF Road Service on #8139. Say "English" — a free interpreter joins the call — and say it is a rental car and where you are. The road service may cost money: keep the receipt, because we refund costs caused by a fault of the car. If a warning light comes on, stop in a safe place and send us a photo of it. If the keys are lost or the car is stolen, report it immediately to the police and to us.
Scratches found at return: how the photo record protects you
When you receive the car at Haneda Terminal 3, the trip page asks for 4 photos: front, rear, left and right. If you see a scratch, add a close-up and say where it is. Before you return the car, take the same 4 photos plus the fuel gauge and the odometer. These photos record the condition of the car before and after your rental, and damage noted at pick-up stays listed in your trip page, so an old scratch is not blamed on you. If you cannot take the photos (heavy rain, no signal, an unsafe place), our staff will record the car for you.
Found a new scratch and do not know how it happened? Report it in the trip page as Found a new scratch or damage and we will advise. For damage, we normally notify you within 10 business days of return, with the same 20-day objection right. Photos are stored privately, only our staff can see them, and location data is removed from them.
Before your trip, read our Japan road rules guide and save the emergency guide on your phone. Ready to drive? Book your car.
FAQ
Do I have to call the police after a minor car accident in Japan?
Yes. Japanese law requires the driver to report every traffic accident to the police on 110, even a small scrape with only property damage. Without a police report, insurance and the Safety Pack do not apply.
What number do I call for an ambulance in Japan?
Call 119 for an ambulance or fire and say "kyūkyū" (ambulance). Call 110 for the police. Many areas can add a phone interpreter to 119.
Will I pay for damage to my Go on rental car?
For accidents covered by insurance, the required Safety Pack waives the deductible and the Non-Operation Charge, so you pay ¥0. It does not apply to accidents not reported to the police, drink-driving or the other exclusions in our terms.
Can I settle privately with the other driver?
No. Do not agree to pay, promise anything or sign anything at the scene. Call the police and Go on Rent-a-Car; we can speak with the other driver in Japanese.
What if a scratch is found at return that I did not cause?
The pick-up photos in your trip page record the car's condition before your rental. If we send a cost notice, you can object within 20 days of receiving it, and we do not charge your card while we review your objection.
Sources
Rules can change. Always check the official sources before you travel.