Japan has launched a campaign to convert unpopular Asian-style squat toilets into sit-on « Western » models, as the nation prepares to welcome tens of millions of foreign tourists in the run-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The high-tech country is famous for its toilet technology that can
Japan has launched a campaign to convert unpopular Asian-style squat toilets into sit-on « Western » models, as the nation prepares to welcome tens of millions of foreign tourists in the run-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The high-tech country is famous for its toilet technology that can bewilder foreign visitors, with features ranging from seat warming to bidet functions — with variable pressure.
But to the surprise of some and the dismay of many caught short, several toilets in public places are traditional « squatting » facilities.
About 40 percent of toilets at 4,000 locations in popular tourist spots are « squatters », according to the Japan Tourism Agency.
The government is offering to shoulder one third of the costs to install sit-on types, complete with the bidet function expected of a Japanese toilet, officials said.
