Oita Prefecture receives notebooks to assist hearing-impaired in emergencies

By Barrier Free Japan

March 17 2026

OITA – Oita Prefecture on Monday 17th March received a donation of “Emergency Phone Request Notebooks” designed to help people with hearing impairments ask others to place emergency calls on their behalf.

The notebooks include instructions such as “Please call 110 (police)” and are intended for use by people who are deaf or have difficulty speaking, enabling them to request assistance from those nearby in emergency situations.

At a presentation ceremony held at the prefectural government office, the notebooks were donated by the Oita branch of NTT West Japan.

“I believe that showing the notebook and asking for help from those around you will surely create connections between people in that situation, so we hope to help expand such a network,” said Nae Tani, manager of the NTT West Japan Oita branch.

A total of 720 notebooks were donated and will be distributed at the prefectural office as well as at relevant offices in municipalities across the prefecture.