Niigata Inochi no Denwa: phone number and hours

Niigata Inochi no Denwa is a volunteer-run telephone counseling service that began in 1984 in response to Niigata Prefecture's high suicide rate. Trained citizen counselors answer calls 24 hours a day, every day of the year; you can call without giving your name, and the service receives about 20,000 calls a year.

• Online counseling

  For people who find it frightening to talk directly, counseling is also available online. Every message received is read individually (you are directed to the Inochi no Denwa online counseling service).

• Sharing group for people bereaved by suicide, "Niji no Kai"

  A gathering where people who have lost a family member, friend or partner to suicide share their grief. Held on the 1st Thursday of even-numbered months, 14:00–16:00.

• You do not have to give your name when you call, and your conversation is confidential. Counseling is free.
• The service receives about 20,000 calls a year, mainly from people in life crises such as despair, loneliness and anxiety.
• About 140 citizen volunteer counselors answer the calls. They are certified after completing about 1 year of training and continue to attend monthly training after certification.
• Callers include people living with mental illness, people struggling with how to live, people who feel misunderstood by their families, and people suffering in relationships at school or work.
• Because many calls come in, it can be hard to get through; if so, they suggest trying the numbers of other helplines as well.

Your municipality (city, ward, town or village) also has counters for welfare, health and child-rearing concerns. Call the main number, explain what you want to discuss, and ask for the counter in charge.

Phone directory of the 30 municipalities in Niigataarrow_forward