Has the coronavirus pandemic changed men’s urinating habits? In Japan, they won’t stand for it
- A study by Panasonic, which is renowned for its bathroom equipment, has found that nearly 70 per cent of men are now sitting down to relieve themselves
- While it did not delve into reasons for the change, the men appear to have been motivated by realising the extent of the mess they make, and keeping partners happy
Panasonic, which is renowned for its bathroom equipment, including state-of-the-art heated toilet seats, carried out the study on 310 men and women across Japan in August.
Of the 155 male respondents, 58 per cent confirmed that they already sat down to urinate before the pandemic broke out in the spring. But 11 per cent said they had switched from standing to sitting in the preceding six months.
The nearly 70 per cent of men who now choose to sit down to relieve themselves is up sharply from the 51 per cent reported in a 2015 survey.
The study did not delve into the reasons for the change in men’s lavatory habits, but they appear to have been motivated by two prime considerations – finally realising the extent of mess they can leave in their wake, and a desire to keep their partners happy.
03:05
Tokyo clinic mends stuffed toys and owners’ broken hearts
“I’ve had to work from home a lot more since the pandemic started, so obviously I’m using the toilet at home more frequently,” said Nobuhiro Tomura, 51, who works for a construction company in Yokohama.
