Japan’s unpopular squat toilets may change

Japan may be famous for its toilet technology such as the Toto design seen here but some public sites still have squat toilets. Photo: AFP

Japan has launched a campaign to convert unpopular Asian-style squat toilets into sit-on "western" models, as the nation prepares to welcome tens of millions of foreign tourists in the run-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The high-tech country is famous for its toilet technology that can bewilder foreign visitors, with features ranging from seat warming to bidet functions – with variable pressure.