Japanese Bidet Toilets: Hesitant to Use Them Outside? — 55% of People in Their 20s "Hesitate" and the Real Infection Risks

1. "Washlet Heaven" Utilization Disparity Expands in Japan

1-1 High Adoption Rate But Low Usage When Out

‐ According to the Cabinet Office's Consumer Trend Survey, household adoption rate has exceeded 80% since 2016.
‐ A TBS survey shows that only 46.8% of respondents use them outside their homes, with just 23.8% among those in their 20s. newsdig.tbs.co.jpplanet-van.co.jp

1-2 Main Reasons for Hesitation Among Those in Their 20s

1. Unhygienic Feeling from Use by Many People (63.7%)

2. Image of Bacterial Contamination on Nozzles and Seats (58.2%)

3. Don't Know How to Operate/Scared (21.5%)
   —Excerpt from TBS Web Survey newsdig.tbs.co.jp
   
   
   
   

2. Infection Risk from a Scientific Perspective

2-1 Measured Data on Nozzle Contamination

Point: It is said that 10,000 to 1,000,000 bacteria are needed for a healthy adult to become infected, and the detected bacterial amount is significantly lower.

2-2 Cases in Medical Institutions

‐ In a survey of 127 units, cases of multidrug-resistant bacteria were reported, requiring caution for patients with weakened immunity. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

2-3 Hygiene Benefits of Bidet Use

‐ Bacteria on hands without bidet use: average 39,499 cfu → with use 4,147 cfu (about 1/10). pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

3. Understanding the "Psychological Barriers" of the Younger Generation

• Enhanced Hygiene Awareness Post-COVID-19

• "Scary Stories" Effect Spread via Social Media

• Preference for "Home Use Only"
  
  These contrast with Western public toilet culture and can be seen as a downside of Japan's unique "cleanliness myth."
  
  
  
  

4. Latest Measures by Manufacturers and Facilities

• Automatic Nozzle Cleaning + Silver Ion Sterilization

• 24-Hour Sterilization with UV-LED Irradiation

• Automatic Toilet Seat Opening/Closing ≠ No Hand Contact Design

• IoT Sensors to Visualize Cleaning Logic
  
  
  
  

5. Three Self-Guard Measures Users Can Take

1. Press the "Clean" Button for 1 Second for Preliminary Cleaning (Rinse the Nozzle Surface with Running Water)

2. Lightly Wipe the Seat with an Alcohol Sheet (Carry One If Not Provided)

3. Wash and Dry Hands for 30 Seconds After Cleaning
   
   
   
   

6. Advice for Foreign Tourists

• Increase in Panels with English Labels

• Multiple Daily Cleaning Rounds in Large Station and Airport Toilets

• Check Toilet Seats in Hotel Rooms Before Boarding
  
  
  
  

7. Future Outlook

Warm-water bidet toilets are also gaining attention for their environmental advantages, such as reducing water and paper usage. To increase usage rates among those in their 20s,

• "Visualization" through Experience Events and Social Media

• Posting Hygiene Information in University and Workplace Toilets

• Development of New Products like "Personal Nozzle Covers"
  
  will be key. Efforts to lower psychological barriers while disseminating scientific evidence that infection risk is extremely low are needed.
  
  

List of Reference Articles

1. Tulip TV "More than 55% of people in their 20s hesitate to use shower functions in toilets outside their homes due to 'thinking it's unsanitary' or 'feeling somewhat gross'... Is there an infection risk?" (2025-06-26) newsdig.tbs.co.jp

2. Planet Co., Ltd. "Survey on the Actual Use of Warm-water Bidet Toilets" (2024) planet-van.co.jp

3. Sanitary-net "Bacterial Survey Inside Nozzles of Warm-water Bidet Toilets" (2023) sanitary-net.com

4. K. Matsushita et al. "Warm-water nozzles of bidet toilets: contamination and infection control." J Hosp Infect 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

5. H. Sasaki et al. "Microbial contamination of hands with or without bidet use." Int J Environ Health Res 2022. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov