November is child abuse prevention month in Japan, and 189 is the number to know

Every November, the Children and Families Agency runs the Orange Ribbon campaign (オレンジリボン・児童虐待防止推進キャンペーン) to raise awareness of child abuse. Its message centers on one number: 189, read as いちはやく, meaning "as quickly as possible."

Calling 189 connects you to the local child guidance center (児童相談所), 24 hours a day, from anywhere in Japan. The agency asks people to call if they sense even a chance that a child is being abused, and says it is fine if the worry turns out to be unfounded.

Prefectural guidance adds that the call is free, that you can call without giving your name, and that the caller's identity is kept confidential. Some IP phones cannot connect.

189 is meant for concerns about abuse. Parents who are struggling themselves have separate places to talk:

0120-189-783 is a free line to child guidance centers for worries about childbirth or raising children.

The Oyako no Tame no Soudan LINE (親子のための相談LINE) is open to children under 18 and their parents, and you don't have to give your real name. Its hours vary by area.

Many cities and towns also have a kodomo katei center (こども家庭センター), which is another place to ask. If a child is in immediate danger, call the police on 110.

Some cities explain 189 in English, but none of the official information we found says the lines are answered in other languages, so they are easiest to use if you can manage some Japanese.

One more point that many families new to Japan don't know: since April 2020, the law has said that parents and guardians must not use physical punishment to discipline their children.

Source: Children and Families Agency