Lost Your Smartphone in Japan? Emergency Action Guide
Losing your smartphone while traveling can be stressful. But don’t worry, Japan has one of the highest return rates for lost items in the world.
According to the National Police Agency, 83% of lost phones in Japan are returned to their owners.
With the right steps, you have a very good chance of getting yours back.
Here’s a step-by-step guide, starting from the most urgent actions.
1. Locate Your Phone & Lock It Remotely
Find your phone’s location and lock it to protect your personal data.
🍎 If you have an iPhone
- Use the Find My app on another Apple device
- Or go to icloud.com/find and sign in with your Apple ID
🤖 If you have an Android
- Go to Goolge Find Hub and sign in with your Google account
Remote Lock Tips
✅ You can lock it even if you never set a passcode
✅ Apple automatically disables Apple Pay when locked
✅ You can display your contact info on the screen so the finder can reach you
2. If You Have the Location
If the phone’s location is visible, either go there yourself or contact the place.
| Location | Action |
| Hotel | Call the front desk |
| Restaurant | Call during business hours |
| Train or Station | Contact the Lost & Found counter |
| Taxi | Contact the taxi company or taxi center |
If recovered, you’re done!
3. If You Don’t Have the Location
If no location is shown, recall where you’ve been recently and contact each place.
The sooner you act, the better your chances of finding it.
4. If It’s Still Missing, Report to the Police
- Filing a lost property report means you’ll be contacted if it’s found
- Keep the report number for insurance claims
- Having your IMEI number will make identification easier
- It’s printed on the phone box or your contract
5. Optional Extra Safety Measures
If you have time, take these extra precautions.
- Change passwords for Google / Apple / Social Media / Email
- Log out other devices
- Suspend credit cards or bank accounts linked to the phone
- Suspend your SIM card with your carrier
- Check if you have a cloud backup (iCloud / Google Photos)
Summary
- First, Locate and remotely lock your phone
- If you have location info - > Go there or contact the place
- If not - > Contact recent places - > Report to police
- Extra, Take additional safety measures to minimize risk
If you’re worried about language barriers or procedures, we can help. We can contact police and facilities on your behalf, and assist with the retrieval of your phone if it's found.
Your smartphone holds both your memories and sensitive personal data.
We hope this guide helps you act calmly and effectively in case of emergency.
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About the Author
Yusuke Baba | Japan Lost and Found Service Founder
I myself have had the experience of losing my MacBook while on my honeymoon, so I deeply understand the anxiety that comes with it. This experience gave me a strong desire to help those who are truly in trouble and facing language and cultural barriers, which is why I started this service.
I hope this guide can help ease your worries and provide a clear path to getting your lost item back. If you are struggling with a lost item, please feel free to contact us.