TOKYO - Following concerns raised by female legislators in Japan regarding insufficient restroom availability for women, the House of Representatives has opted to start building additional facilities shortly after the ongoing parliamentary session concludes on July 17, aiming for completion by December.
The ladies' room located near the main hall on the second level of the primary building will undergo an expansion, increasing the number of stalls from two to four. Additional space for this upgrade will come from decreasing the size of the neighboring gentlemen’s restroom. Even though the area will be reduced, the men's facilities will continue to offer two stalls and four urinals by optimizing their layout. Additionally, plans are under consideration to enlarge the women's bathroom on the third floor of the main building in fiscal year 2027.
In December 2025, a coalition of 58 women legislators from various political parties, among them Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, presented a formal petition to Yasukazu Hamada, who was serving as the head of the Lower House Committee on Rules and Administration, urging for additional amenities and stating that "the comfort of users is significantly compromised because restroom access is not available right before session meetings."
Hideko Nishioka, a member of the Democratic Party for the People, was the sole woman serving as chairperson of the committee responsible for endorsing the expansion proposal. She stated, "Since the lower house elections in February, the number of female legislators has risen. I support efforts aimed at slightly improving the severe lack of women’s restroom facilities available to members of parliament and their assistants."
(A Japanese version by Shihoko Abe, Political News Division)