A 48 year-old woman was arrested Monday for interfering with police in the line of duty after she allegedly dialed the emergency number 119 on 157 occasions between March 1 and June 29, telling operators she was "tired." Ambulances were dispatched 46 times to the home of Kazuko Komae, a resident of Wakayama, police said.
According to police, when the ambulances arrived, Komae would spout abusive language and tell them to leave. She has denied the charge.
City fire department squad leader Masao Oura, 51, commented, "We can't really tell what the situation is over the phone, unfortunately. We'd like ambulances to be reserved for people who really need them."
© Japan Today
25 Comments
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kawabunga
Sounds like she needs to be on meds or locked up!
The758
There are plenty of crazy people walking the streets these days
mnemosyne23
Unfortunately, 119 operators (just like 911 in the States) are duty-bound to treat every call like a real emergency. Frivolous calls like this not only tie up resources, but also cost a LOT of money. Ambulances and fire trucks and EMTs and police don't pay for themselves. Someone needs to buy the gas, pay the salaries, and maintain the vehicles. The more they're dispatched on pointless calls, the more the taxpayer takes it in the wallet.
FOXIE: I'm appalled! Thank God you obviously survived your situation. It's a sad day when emergency services puts you on a waiting list as if you were ordering a pizza.
nath
She felt lonely, obviously...
wontond
Agreed Sarge. Perhaps she could also take a conversational English class. I think people who are bored or seeking attention enjoy this activity.
zurcronium
She thought 119 was the direct dial for Joon-chan tickets.
larguero
Did they have to wait to the 157th call? She made more than a call per day for 4 months. Nobody noticed the fifth time she called that she was a wacko?
dolphingirl
157 calls in 4 months! That's a lot! Obviously, this woman did need help of the mental kind. After several calls, you would think they would take her for psychiatric treatment or something!!
animallover
The woman said she was tired, she meant what she said.
ptolemy
Yeah and we could get Jerry Lewis to host it. I'm with you, like that thinking. Also, Higashikokubaru could make a guest appearance with our great mangoes and shochu from Miyazaki.
Foxie
Good to see she got arrested...finally...why did it take 157 times to do something about it whilst other people are in real danger. I only had to call them once in a life and death situation. They told me I had to wait at least half an hour as they were busy with another accident. I almost freaked out. There seems to be a shortage and people shouldn't abuse calling them for nothing.
Sarge
Better to call 119 than to stab someone.
martyman
If you can remember the story of the boy that cried wolf to many times, this lady will have a real crisis/emergency and dial 119 after she is released from jail. The emergency units will respond, but not with any urgency because of the crank calls she made before. Too bad she doesn't live in Saitama, this story would not be strange at all.
some14some
119 free dial for 157 times?
franz75
remove the following keys: 1 and 9
Disillusioned
I remember seeing the same story a month or so ago from a 50 something old biddy. The news just keeps getting weirder. I read all the online J-newspapers and watch the NHK news and it is seriously just getting weirder.
sharky1
She dialed 119 so many times because she obviously needs help...
gogogo
Talk about an attention whore.
Roppichan
Some call 119 very often, others talk to their Mamasans, many live like zombies in their kaisha and so on. Lots of nutters around, like every other country. What makes me wonder is this : How come that Japan has so little mentaly ill people in its statistics ? So few facilities for people with special needs ? Go and check by yourself on the net. One reason could be that already many are straped down and get pumped up with pharmaceuticals in lots of " private institutes ". Just places where you can drop somebody for little money and get rid of her/him. Out of the streets, out of sight and more important out of the statistics. Prison in Japan is compared to those institutes a holiday spa.
Mittsu
Another unfathomable loonie
nath
Wacked
timorborder
What's her number, perhaps my distinguished colleagues her on JT could organize a telethon for this poor woman. What do you reckon folks? Phone calls 24 hours a day by shift. That would soon fix her....
Rugbyfan
This is obviously a cry for help from a very lonely person.
Altria
Next time they should strap her down and inject her with drugs.
donkusai
Perhaps someone should ring 119 and get this woman taken away. She is seriously ill (though in mind, not body).