HomeLatestWhy Did This Rural Village Build a Billion-Yen Toilet?

Why Did This Rural Village Build a Billion-Yen Toilet?

NARA, Feb 05 (News On Japan) –
A newly constructed public rest room in a distant village in Nara Prefecture has grow to be the topic of controversy—not for its design, however for its staggering price of almost 1 billion yen.

Residents have expressed outrage, questioning whether or not such an expenditure was justified.

Located in Mie Village, a small group of about 1,300 individuals close to the Nara-Mie prefectural border, the power was accomplished in February final 12 months alongside a nationwide highway within the mountainous area. The restroom, which incorporates barrier-free accessibility options, a males’s and ladies’s stall, and a diaper-changing station, seems at first look to be an unusual public rest room.

However, what has drawn criticism is its price. The whole expense, together with parking zone improvement, amounted to roughly 950 million yen, main some residents to nickname it the “billion-yen toilet.”

“There used to be an old pit-style toilet here, but the village decided to build a new one,” a resident defined. The price is ready to be repaid over a decade, with 70% coated by nationwide grants and 30% funded by the village.

Some locals, nevertheless, stay unconvinced. “For a facility of this scale, the cost is just unreasonable,” one resident complained. “Nearly a billion yen? That money could have been used for more essential tourist infrastructure.”

In response, the village mayor defended the challenge, stating that the power was strategically positioned alongside the historic Ise Honkaido route, which connects Nara and Mie to Ise Shrine. “This toilet is at the western entrance to the route, and we wanted to promote the village and provide a rest stop for travelers,” he mentioned. The facility additionally consists of pamphlets showcasing native sights.

On a weekday afternoon, about 10 individuals have been noticed utilizing the restroom inside an hour, with durations the place the parking zone was full. A tour operator scouting the situation for an upcoming Ise Honkaido strolling tour remarked, “There are hardly any toilets along the way. Having a clean facility like this is a relief, especially for women.”

Still, issues linger. “With groups of 30 people coming in, one toilet stall is just not enough,” one other tour information identified.

Adding to the controversy is the presence of a number of different public restrooms within the neighborhood. A drive simply 1.7 kilometers from the brand new facility reveals one other rest room. In whole, there are 5 different public restrooms alongside the Ise Honkaido route in Mie Village and neighboring areas, a few of which price considerably much less to assemble. A village rest room constructed 20 years in the past price round 1.7 million yen, whereas one other one constructed in 2011—together with a parking space—was priced at about 20 million yen.

According to the mayor, the excessive price of the brand new rest room stems from using domestically sourced Nara-grown cypress wooden and a deal with showcasing regional craftsmanship. “We didn’t consider it excessively expensive,” he insisted, attributing rising materials and labor prices as contributing elements.

However, for some villagers, the value stays tough to justify. “Almost a billion yen for a toilet is simply not acceptable,” one native mentioned.

The debate over whether or not the power was a obligatory funding or a misuse of funds continues, with no clear decision in sight.

Source: MBS

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