Mar 14, 2020 09:00:00

Why are Japanese high-tech toilets not popular in the United States?

Toilet seats with

hot water flushing function are widely used in Japan, but the rate of spread outside Japan is low, especially in the United States. Greg Rosalski, a U.S. public radio reporter, has developed his own opinion on the question he had asked, 'Why is Japan's hot-water flush toilet seats great, but why isn't it popular in the United States?'

Why America Is Losing The Toilet Race: Planet Money: NPR
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2020/02/25/808791622/why-america-is-losing-the-toilet-race

Rosalski, who has just returned to the United States from a trip to Japan, misses the ramen, yakitori, sushi, volcano, attractive people, and the 'hot-water flush toilet seat'. Mr. Rosalski pointed out that the hot water washing toilet seat uses hot water washing function, drying function, heating toilet seat, deodorant function, toilet sound generator and water efficiently, `` Japanese toilet is a wonder of technological innovation '' I praised.

The question that Mr. Rosalski had was, 'Why aren't such useful things popular in the United States?' In Japan, hot water toilet seats are not only popular in many hotels and restaurants, but also in many homes. According to a March 2018 consumption trend survey by the Cabinet Office, the penetration rate of hot-water flush toilet seats in households with two or more households was 80.2%. Since the number of households per household is 113, it seems that many homes have multiple hot water flush toilet seats.

Japanese household necessities, hot water flush toilet seat penetration rate exceeds 80%: durable consumer goods penetration rate survey | nippon.com
https://www.nippon.com/ja/features/h00185/

Regarding American toilets, Mr. Rosalski said, 'There is only a 'water flush' function. Toilet flushing is like washing dishes without using water.' 'It has not evolved since the carriage era' Was expressed. Rossalsky said, 'Why can't we have a hot water flush toilet at home?'

According to Rosalski, TOTO was the forerunner in the spread of hot water flush toilet seats. TOTO launched a new warm-water flush toilet seat under the brand name Washlet in 1980. As a result of the Washlet's popularity in Japan, hot water flush toilet seats have become popular. For this reason, Rosalski decided to talk to Bill Strang, head of sales strategy at TOTO USA in the United States.

Strang has a background in joining TOTO USA because of the joy he had when using Washlet. Mr Strang acknowledged that Washlet had not been commercially successful since launching in the United States in 1990, and that success in the U.S. was on toilets, not toilet seats. It's just sticking together. '

According to a study that surveyed the spread of 20 technologies in 161 countries over the past 140 years, the physical distance has a significant effect on the spread of technology from one place to another. Strang pointed out that Washlet is more prevalent in the Pacific Rim than in the United States, which is farther away from Japan.

However, according to an article written by Dartmouth University economist Diego Comin, the speed of technology diffusion has accelerated dramatically in modern times. Another study that surveyed the spread of 115 technologies in 150 countries over the past 200 years seems to be that technology developed after 1925 is three times faster than technology developed before 1925 is. However, he also mentions the exception that 'some technologies are better than existing technologies, but may not spread to certain countries.' Mr. Komin suggested that this was the case with warm flush toilet seats.

Rosalski points out that cultural customs are the biggest reason why hot flush toilets have become an exception to the spread of technology. Rosalski says that Japanese people value bathing, hygiene and cleanliness, while Americans do not. During his trip to Japan, Mr. Rosarski said that pedestrians were wearing masks to prevent the spread of bacteria, that restaurants were handed towels and wet towels to wipe their hands before meals, that the road and subway were beautiful, He remarked that a hand disinfectant dispenser was set up everywhere and said, 'It's quite different from the United States.'

Mr Rosalski also pointed out that, in addition to cultural customs, the price of hot-water flush toilet seats was the cause. TOTO is ' Tornado cleaning ', even dirt that can not be seen in the light catalyst drop to clean ' Actilight ', titanium oxide is a natural and washed reaction is carried out and hit the light ' Hydrotect ', ' eco remote control ', ' auto-off ', etc. We have announced a toilet seat equipped with the function of, but the price of the luxury model 'NEOREST NX' in the United States is $ 17,300 (about 1.77 million yen).

NEOREST® NX2 Dual Flush Toilet-1.0 GPF & 0.8 GPF-TotoUSA.com
https://www.totousa.com/neorest-nx2-dual-flush-toilet-10-gpf-08-gpf

Komin also thought about buying a Japanese-style toilet, but has given up because of the price. Therefore, `` In order for hot water flush toilet seats to spread in the United States, not only will the public be aware of the existence of hot water flush toilet seats by marketing George Clooney in commercials, but also make significant investments to expand production lines And it's important to lower prices through mass production, 'Komin argued.

Meanwhile, Strang is optimistic about American toilets. 'There has never been a demand for products like hot water cleaning in the United States, but before Steve Jobs made the iPhone, there was no demand for such products,' he said. He says that what happens is unknown.