Having adopted the flush toilet just 40 years ago, they have in typical Japanese fashion, refined this essential facility with high-tech functions and ecological innovations. The latest Japanese toilets automatically open their lids as you approach and close as you leave, and have advanced washing and drying functions controlled by an electronic panel. The newest designs also use less water and some don't even need paper.

Additionally, outdoor models are being specifically designed with the environment in mind. These bio-toilets require no water and produce no sewage - everything is recycled using various methods to process the human waste into water and clean fertilizer products. Researchers are also trying to make them completely self-sustaining.