TOKYO -- Only 27.7% of 379 local governments surveyed in Japan said they expected to have enough temporary restrooms for use by evacuees in the event of a strong earthquake or other terrible disaster, according to a Tokyo-based nonprofit organization.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has indicated his intention to move forward with the establishment of a "disaster prevention agency," but the results of the survey by Japan Toilet Labo show that many local governments are lagging behind in providing the necessary restrooms.

Securing toilets in times of disaster has been a longstanding issue, as the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the Noto Peninsula earthquake in January of this year caused a series of toilets to cease functioning due to road cuts and damage to water supply facilities.

From May to July, the nonprofit group conducted the survey of all 47 prefectures and 1,741 municipalities across the country, receiving responses from 379 local bodies.

When asked if they have estimated the number of temporary toilets needed for the evacuees expected in the event of a disaster, 61.2% of the local governments indicated having done so.

However, when asked whether there would be enough temporary toilets to accommodate the number of evacuees over a three-day period if the largest possible disaster anticipated in local disaster management plans actually occurs, 27.7% answered affirmatively, while 53.6% said there would be a shortage.

Asked whether they have a plan in place to secure and manage temporary restrooms during disasters, 27.2% said they do, while 72.3% said they do not.

When the 274 local governments that have not formulated a plan were asked to give reasons for not doing so, the following factors were cited with multiple responses allowed: "insufficient staff," "uncertainty over how to formulate a plan," "diverse departments are involved," and "difficulty in coordination among the various departments."

At construction sites, sit-down unisex temporary restrooms called "comfortable toilets" that meet Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism standards are becoming increasingly common, and are also frequently used in times of disaster. However, only 40.4% of the respondents indicated that they were aware of these toilets.

On the other hand, more than half of the local governments, or 55.4%, said that they have not decided on an official or department responsible for overseeing the overall temporary restroom measures.

Japan Toilet Labo representative director Atsushi Kato said, "Every time a major disaster happens, problems related to toilets occur, and even though the Noto Peninsula earthquake caused serious 'toilet panics,' the survey showed very harsh results. It is important for local governments to create a plan with a designated person in charge of restroom-related issues to clarify the chain of command and responsibility in order to be prepared for the next disaster."

Kato added, "The issue of toilets is a more delicate topic than water and food, and it is sometimes difficult for evacuees to voice their concerns. I hope that both supporters and recipients share a common understanding that ensuring a comfortable toilet environment is a matter of course, since the lack of it can lead to people falling ill and losing their lives, as well as to the risk of mass infection and deterioration of public safety."

(Japanese original by Hiroya Miyagi, Digital News Group)