OSAKA - With just three days until the opening of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, a photo taken during a trial run showing a row of children's toilets without partitions and a wide, exposed space—including a visible men's urinal—has drawn widespread attention on social media.
The photos were taken inside the "Lost Child/Baby Center" at the Expo venue.
The images were posted by a mother raising a young daughter, who wrote, "It’s too exposed without any partitions. There are other kids' toilets elsewhere, so it’s better to go to a different one."
When the photos were shown to parents on the street, one father commented, "It looks a bit hard to use." When asked why, he added, "It’s a little embarrassing." A 5-year-old child who saw the photo exclaimed, "Oh no! They’re all lined up! I don’t want to see that!"
Reactions from foreign visitors were more positive. One person said, "This is great! No walls. If it’s for kids, it might be fine."
Why was the decision made to remove partitions from the toilets? An expert in early childhood development weighed in.
Yachiyo Murakami, professor at Tokiwa Junior College’s Department of Early Childhood Education and Care, explained: "It’s not unusual in nurseries. Watching each other while using the toilet helps children learn and develop through mutual observation."
However, Murakami also pointed out a potential issue when such facilities are placed in a public venue used by a large number of people.
"If many people enter the space at once, such as at the Expo, it may create privacy issues. But in a relaxed setting shared by just a few families, many might find such toilets easier to use," she said.
In response to media inquiries, the Expo Association explained that the design without partitions was based on the understanding that children aged 0 to 2 are not yet capable of using the toilet independently and require assistance from parents or guardians.
Source: FNN
