Commuter Comfort

Good news for those venturing into the heart of Tokyo’s concrete jungle by subway. The Teito Rapid Transit Authority, the operators of about half of Tokyo’s subways, have announced that from the early part of this year they will once again provide toilet paper in station toilets.

Toilet paper has long been absent from these public facilities. Though readily available in the stations from the reconstruction following World War II, the paper distribution was discontinued during the oil crisis of the 1970’s.

Teito officials point to the hording of the precious paper that gripped the city at that time, and what some described as plain wastefulness on the part of subway users.

The new distribution of toilet paper throughout the system will commence by the latter part of January. At first the paper will only be available at a handful of the larger stations in the metro area. By June or July officials hope to have the paper available in all of their facilities.

There was no word as to a similar action being taken by the other main subway or train operators in the city.