Public Toilets for Women: Work to End Long Waiting Lines as Soon as Possible

Editorial

14:54 JST, May 21, 2026

The situation in which long lines form at public toilets for women, forcing them to practice endurance, has become a human rights issue. Relevant entities should put their heads together to find ways to eliminate such lines.

The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry has compiled guidelines calling on facility administrators and operators to ensure that waiting times for toilets at train stations, airports, large commercial complexes and elsewhere — places used by large numbers of general people — are the same for both men and women.

It is not uncommon to see long lines at women’s toilets while men’s ones remain relatively empty. Also, when families go out together, it is a common sight to see the men waiting outside the restrooms for the women to finish using them.

One reason for these waiting lines is the insufficient number of toilet fixtures for women. According to a sample survey by the ministry, if the total number of men’s fixtures, including both urinals and toilets, is adjusted to 1, the corresponding figure for women’s toilets is only 0.63 at train stations and 0.66 at airports.

Toilets at facilities built in an era when few women worked outside the home were reportedly designed with male usage in mind. Subsequently, as more women have entered the workforce, the number of people using toilets while out and about is increasing. Despite this, measures have not been taken to address the issue.

The guidelines stipulate that if the number of male and female users at a facility is roughly equal, the number of toilet fixtures for women is required, in principle, to be equal to or greater than the number for men. Women require more time to remove and put back on items of clothing. Even though toilet renovations take time and money, facility administrators and operators should expedite these efforts.

Even in cases in which immediate renovations are not feasible, there is room for creative solutions.

Some facilities have installed sensors on stall doors, allowing users to check toilet availability via their smartphones. Initiatives such as converting some men’s stalls to women’s ones during busy periods could also serve as useful models.

Public facilities may serve as shelters for people unable to return home following disasters. Holding off on using a toilet can negatively affect one’s health. Proper maintenance of toilet facilities is a critical health issue that must not be put on the back burner.

Portable toilets are often installed at the venues of large-scale events such as concerts and fireworks displays. Flexible measures are required, such as predicting the gender ratio of attendees based on the event’s nature and preparing a greater number of women’s toilets accordingly.

Not limited to toilets, when renovating facilities or launching new services, measures must be taken based on actual conditions. Aren’t there any inconveniences arising from lack of consideration for gender differences? Aren’t people with disabilities or illnesses being placed at a disadvantage?

Taking the issue of women’s toilets as an opportunity, various aspects of surrounding environments and situations should be considered. There must be an unexpected number of overlooked yet unreasonable conditions.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 21, 2026)