Since its debut in Japan in June 1980, Toto Ltd has sold over 70 million of its bidet-type toilet fixtures, which bear the trademark Washlet. 

It was during the decade of the 1990s that the ownership rate in Japan tripled, and since then it's been on a roll, with over 80% of the nation's households with two occupants or more having installed such devices. 

In the United States, however, the diffusion rate for bidet toilets is only currently estimated to be around 3%, a figure roughly equivalent to Japan's level back in 1985.

What Weekly Playboy (March 23) wants to know is: Is the U.S. on the verge of a boom similar to Japan's? To find out, its reporter traveled to Morrow, Georgia -- a town 21 kilometers south of Atlanta -- to interview Taro Muroi, president of Toto USA Inc. 

Toto's factory, where the Washlets are assembled, represents an investment of 30 billion yen by the Kitakyushu City-based company. 

The road to business success has certainly had its ups and downs. Toto's U.S. subsidiary was established in 1989, and during the first quarter century of its 37-year existence, doubts remained over prospects for ever realizing a profit. 

"Our current strong performance is by no means an overnight sensation," Muroi remarked. "I believe this is the result of everything our predecessors built up, including overcoming difficult times in the past, and finally aligning with the market." 

For Toto USA, it seems that the COVID pandemic turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Demand for Washlets rose, not only out of concerns over sanitation but also owing to shortages of toilet paper. 

In 2020, demand in the U.S. leaped by twenty-fold over 2019, and in some months, U.S. demand for seat-type Washlet models over the four years from 2020 to 2024 are said to have reached about one-third the level of the Japanese domestic market. 

"At long last a culture with an awareness of washing one's bottom while in the toilet is finally taking root in the U.S.," Muroi told the magazine. "However since it's common in the U.S. for the toilet and bathtub to occupy the same room, many homes lacked the necessary power outlets, which created a high hurdle." 

To market the Washlet in the U.S., the company has adopted the theme of "proposing a new type of lifestyle." 

The first improvement in the company's fortunes happened with the passing of a strict new law in 1994, which limited the volume of water in a single flush to six liters. Toyo had already introduced a water-conserving model from 1988, and through this was able to differentiate its products from competitor models. 

Then in 1997, the company introduced its so-called unified commode, which integrated the seat and tank, further improving water conservation. 

As its new products achieved a favorable reputation in the plumbing trade, Toto became known as a quality brand in which customer complaints were rare. 

In addition to infrastructural barriers, however, Toto's marketing efforts faced the challenge of cultural barriers. Sales promotion was initially focused on affluent consumer segments. 

"But when opening outlets at shopping malls, where high-class merchandise is displayed, we realized that "shops selling toilets were not conducive to the image of facilities that we were trying to convey," said Muroi. "After all, who sells toilets from a location in front of a high-end store?" 

"It was also pointed out to us that posting advertising billboards above Times Square in New York City was seen as "inappropriate.'"

"In a country without a culture of 'washing one's bottom,' it was difficult for the Washlet to gain acceptance," Muroi conceded. So Toto embarked on a major change in its promotional efforts. Rather than trying to convince people of its merits through verbal persuasion, the company focused on creating a space where people could experience comfort. 

"Affluent consumers, after encountering Washlets in hotels, began to say 'I want one of these at home.' Actually one of the top opportunities for Toto was installation of our top model, the NEOREST, in a high-class condominium overlooking New York's Central Park."

"The most significant factor was steady preparation of the necessary infrastructure in order to reliably capture the rapidly expanding demand," Muroi reflected. 

At present Washlets are being sold via several sales channels, including from 300 showrooms, online sales via Amazon.com and retail sales at COSTCO outlets, which began from 2019. 

"Increased competition is a sign that the market is becoming more active," notes Muroi. "While it's true that similar cheaper products are selling well, we prioritize quality above all else. When customers who have had a negative experience with other  companies' products need to replace their old ones, we want them to choose Toto as a trustworthy brand. That's why we focus on providing excellent quality and after service."

Truly, writes Weekly Playboy, the current U.S. market appears to be on the eve of a boom. And considering that it's common in American homes to have three, or even four toilets in a single house, the potential demand is incomparable to Japan. 

Toto's Muroi waxed lyrical over an episode last December, when it was announced that "Washlet" had been added to the 2025 Oxford English Dictionary. 

"This is a case of a trademark becoming accepted as a proper noun," he beamed, adding, "There's nothing that delights me more than to see our products continuing to expand throughout the world."