THE MAINICHI NEWSPAPERS
The year 1936 (Showa 11) witnesses the introduction of ambulance calls using the emergency telephone number '119.' The start of World War I in 1914 (Taisho 3) provides a major stimulus to Japanese industry, and urban populations increase as salaried workers take a major role in society. Automobiles, formerly only for the very wealthy few, now grow more common. The "Entaku," a taxi charging one yen to go anywhere in the city, appears on the scene. The narrow streets are crowded with bicycles, buses, electric trams and cars. By this time, Tokyo has a daily average of 100 traffic accidents and the '119' number plays a greater role every year.