Pictograms to help guide when nature calls

Proposed pictogram for a Japanese-style toilet (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry on Wednesday compiled a final proposal on pictograms to indicate Western and Japanese toilets and bidet toilets. Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the ministry will display the pictograms on doors of toilets and other places so that foreigners can instantly understand whether the toilet is a Western or Japanese one. It plans to decide on the pictograms based on the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) as early as February next year, and display them at public and other facilities.

Since foreign tourists are not accustomed to using Japanese toilets, they often look for Western ones. In addition, many foreign tourists opt for bidet toilets, and the ministry plans to display pictograms on doors to help foreigners find them.

The ministry is considering creating unified pictograms to show automated external defibrillators (AEDs), nursing rooms and other facilities based on the JIS. Displaying such pictograms is not mandatory, but the ministry aims to help foreign tourists use toilets and other facilities more easily by creating pictograms with unified designs.

Proposed pictogram for bidet toilet (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

Pictogram indicating a Japanese-style toilet

Pictogram indicating a bidet toilet

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry on Wednesday compiled a final proposal on pictograms to indicate Western and Japanese toilets and bidet toilets. Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the ministry will display the pictograms on doors of toilets and other places so that foreigners can instantly understand whether the toilet is a Western or Japanese one. It plans to decide on the pictograms based on the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) as early as February next year, and display them at public and other facilities.

Since foreign tourists are not accustomed to using Japanese toilets, they often look for Western ones. In addition, many foreign tourists opt for bidet toilets, and the ministry plans to display pictograms on doors to help foreigners find them.

In addition, the ministry is considering creating unified pictograms to show automated external defibrillators (AEDs), nursing rooms and other facilities based on the JIS. Displaying such pictograms is not mandatory, however the ministry aims to help foreign tourists use toilets and other facilities more easily by creating pictograms with unified designs.

Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/