The cumulative shipments of the electric toilet seat with bidet function, WASHLET sold by TOTO Ltd. (headquarters, located at Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka) surpassed 50 million in Japan and overseas(both bidet seat and integrated toilet) in March 2019. For the past 40 years since TOTO introduced the world’s first WASHLET in June 1980, the shipment volume has been growing steadily.
The private household penetration rate*1 of electric toilet seats with the bidet function in Japan stands 80.2% (as of 2018). They are not unusual as household equipment. For public toilet2 , in the mid-term management plan of “TOTO WILL2022”, which started in FY2018, TOTO is working to accelerate the installation of the WASHLET under the slogan of “make Japan a showroom to the world” and is seeking to provide experiences of WASHLET to the growing number of visitors to Japan.
The overseas sales are also growing steadily and shipment volumes have increased by a factor of about five in these 10 years. TOTO will aim for further growth by setting the goal of promoting the spread of WASHLET across the world in “TOTO WILL2020”.
Introduction of TOTO WASHLET
In 1980, TOTO introduced the first WASHLET in June of 1980. With the launch of WASHLET, TOTO has established a new product category and ignited a global revolution in personal cleansing. Since then, TOTO has spent more than 40 years enhancing WASHLET features and functionality.
TOTO WASHLET makes users feel cleaner and more refreshed after a bathroom break with the warm water cleansing system. When the cleansing cycle on WASHLET is activated, the self-cleansing wand integrated with WONDERWAVE technology extends from the seat and provides a smoothing warm flow of aerated water for complete cleansing. Once the cleansing cycle is completed, the user may engage in the drying cycle, which uses warm air to gently dry the area, protecting the environment by reducing the need for toilet paper.
To understand more about TOTO WASHLET, visit one of the TOTO Distributor Showroom today.
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1According to the Consumer Behavior Survey conducted by the Cabinet Office (Private household: National households excluding those of foreign residents and students, those residing in facilities, and single-person households)
2TOTO calls toilets used in all facilities of commercial facilities, traffic facilities, offices, and schools excluding homes “public toilets.”
3Comparison of the overseas shipment volume of “WASHLET™” between FY2008 and FY2018