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The Yomiuri Shimbun A gender-neutral restroom at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo in Konohana Ward, Osaka, on Tuesday afternoon.
By Shintaro Sadahiro and Minako Aima / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers
2:00 JST, April 18, 2025
At the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, 40% of restroom areas come with gender-neutral stalls. This initiative aligns with the U.N.’s sustainable development goals and aims to accommodate sexual minorities, but the question is whether such restrooms will take root in Japan as visitors have expressed mixed feelings.
The adoption of gender-neutral toilets is said to have gained momentum in Japan after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The Japan National Stadium, the main venue for the Games, and Narita Airport have already installed all-gender restrooms.
The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, the Expo’s organizer, sought to deploy universal design at the venue to make it user friendly for everyone. Given the Expo’s commitment to achieving the SDGs, including gender equality, the association decided to introduce gender-neutral restrooms that are accessible for sexual minorities.
Of the 45 restroom areas within the Expo site, 18 set aside some toilets as gender neutral, for a total of 108 stalls. The entrances to gender-neutral restrooms are marked with pictograms representing both genders.
Yoshika Ko, the director of Colorful Blankets, an Osaka-based non-profit organization supporting sexual minorities, welcomed the move. “People whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth often face discomfort and avoid public restrooms due to negative reactions from others,” she said. “The installation [of gender-neutral toilets] at a global event is a significant step toward a society where everyone can live with peace of mind.”
A 77-year-old homemaker from Kobe was similarly positive. “Women’s restrooms often have longer lines than men’s. I’d like to use [the gender-neutral restrooms] if it means less waiting,” she said.
But a 32-year-old female company employee from Osaka offered a contrasting view. “When I enter a stall and find the toilet seat up, it makes me uncomfortable, imagining someone of the opposite sex having used it just before me,” she said.
Gihei Takahashi, a professor emeritus at Toyo University and an expert in universal design, noted that “If there is not a widespread understanding that these restrooms are for everyone, including when it’s crowded or when you are accompanying a child, sexual minorities may ultimately find them difficult to use. The association should focus on raising awareness.”
