NARA, Feb 05 (News On Japan) - A newly built public toilet in a remote village in Nara Prefecture has become the subject of controversy—not for its design, but for its staggering cost of nearly 1 billion yen.
Residents have expressed outrage, questioning whether such an expenditure was justified.
Located in Mie Village, a small community of about 1,300 people near the Nara-Mie prefectural border, the facility was completed in February last year along a national road in the mountainous region. The restroom, which includes barrier-free accessibility features, a men’s and women’s stall, and a diaper-changing station, appears at first glance to be an ordinary public toilet.
However, what has drawn criticism is its cost. The total expense, including parking lot development, amounted to approximately 950 million yen, leading some residents to nickname it the "billion-yen toilet."
"There used to be an old pit-style toilet here, but the village decided to build a new one," a resident explained. The cost is set to be repaid over a decade, with 70% covered by national grants and 30% funded by the village.
Some locals, however, remain unconvinced. "For a facility of this scale, the cost is just unreasonable," one resident complained. "Nearly a billion yen? That money could have been used for more essential tourist infrastructure."
In response, the village mayor defended the project, stating that the facility was strategically placed along the historic Ise Honkaido route, which connects Nara and Mie to Ise Shrine. "This toilet is at the western entrance to the route, and we wanted to promote the village and provide a rest stop for travelers," he said. The facility also includes pamphlets showcasing local attractions.
On a weekday afternoon, about 10 people were observed using the restroom within an hour, with periods where the parking lot was full. A tour operator scouting the location for an upcoming Ise Honkaido walking tour remarked, "There are hardly any toilets along the way. Having a clean facility like this is a relief, especially for women."
Still, concerns linger. "With groups of 30 people coming in, one toilet stall is just not enough," another tour guide pointed out.
Adding to the controversy is the presence of multiple other public restrooms in the vicinity. A drive just 1.7 kilometers from the new facility reveals another toilet. In total, there are five other public restrooms along the Ise Honkaido route in Mie Village and neighboring areas, some of which cost significantly less to construct. A village toilet built 20 years ago cost around 1.7 million yen, while another one constructed in 2011—including a parking area—was priced at about 20 million yen.
According to the mayor, the high cost of the new toilet stems from the use of locally sourced Nara-grown cypress wood and a focus on showcasing regional craftsmanship. "We didn’t consider it excessively expensive," he insisted, attributing rising material and labor costs as contributing factors.
However, for some villagers, the price remains difficult to justify. "Almost a billion yen for a toilet is simply not acceptable," one local said.
The debate over whether the facility was a necessary investment or a misuse of funds continues, with no clear resolution in sight.
Source: MBS
