世論 What Japan Thinks

Despite being beaten to the punch by Japan Probe regarding a survey published by Matsushita Electrical Works (the company behind the National brand) on toilet usage, I’ll publish regardless the full details of their recent survey.

Demographics

During June 2007 1,036 married couples aged between 30 and 59 living in either the Kanto (around Tokyo) or Kansai (around Osaka) regions completed an internet-based questionnaire.

Today’s new Japanese phrase is 座りション, suwari-shon, and abbreviation of suwari-shouben, which translates as sitting pee. The usual phrase, 立小便 or 立ション, tachi-shouben or tachi-shon refers more usually to standing outside and urinating in public places. Indeed, I see far too often in Japan signs like the one above requesting the public not to do their business around this point. The red torii gate in the sign is to dissuade people by suggesting it would be sacreligious to relieve oneself on such a Shinto symbol. These anti-wee-wee wee red gates can be found in many places in Japan; coincidentally, when I went to visit Hampton Court near London, the palace of Henry the Eighth, I saw that round the banqueting hall crosses were painted around the skirting board to stop revellers relieving themselves. So, in one aspect at least, one can say that Japanese manners are still quite mediaeval!

I was going to have a poll here, but Japan Probe is ahead of me there too!

Research results

Q1: How do you think your husband uses the toilet when he urinates? (Sample size=women)

Always sits	53%
Sometimes sits	6%
Always stands	41%

Q2: How do you use the toilet when you urinate? (Sample size=men)

Always sit	27%
Sometimes sit	13%
Always stand	60%

Q2A: How do you use the toilet when you urinate? (Sample size=men, by age)

	Thirties	Forties	Fifties
Always sit	31%	24%	26%
Sometimes sit	15%	14%	11%
Always stand	54%	62%	63%

One reson for men favouring (or being told to favour) sitting is due to reducing the amount of cleaning necessary. To test this out, they set up a test toilet with a pee simulator, a hose spraying 400 ccs of water over a 30 second period from a height of 75 cm, and laid out test paper that would highlight droplets that sprayed out. The results of it were that aiming for the front caused 311 stray drops to escape, the back caused 207, and aiming for the water reduced spillage to just 85 drops per visit.

Q3: How important are the following items when buying a toilet? (Sample size=1,036, multiple answer)

	Important	Quite important	Can’t say	Not really important	Not important at all
Always clean for use	64.0%	31.7%	4.0%	0.3%	0.0%
Easy-to-clean inside bowl	63.7%	31.3%	4.3%	0.7%	0.0%
Easy-to-clean small parts	57.0%	37.7%	4.3%	1.0%	0.0%
Easy-to-clean outside bowl	56.0%	37.7%	5.3%	1.0%	0.0%
Doesn’t use too much water	50.7%	37.7%	9.0%	2.3%	0.3%
Easy-to-use warm water washer	35.3%	48.3%	14.7%	1.7%	0.0%
Comfortable seat	38.7%	44.3%	15.0%	2.0%	0.0%
Odour reduction	41.0%	40.3%	16.3%	2.0%	0.7%
Safe for both children and old people	41.3%	38.3%	16.7%	2.7%	1.0%
Doesn’t take up too much space	30.7%	45.%	20.7%	2.7%	0.3%
Can relax	27.7%	45.0%	22.7%	4.0%	0.7%
Low noise	31.3%	39.3%	20.0%	7.0%	2.3%
Support for bowel movements	18.0%	26.7%	39.7%	12.0%	3.7%
Good design	16.0%	28.3%	39.7%	12.3%	3.7%
Can determine my state of health	16.3%	25.7%	40.0%	14.3%	3.7%