[News] Matsue National Highway Office Installs Container-Type Toilets in Disaster-Stricken Kumamoto
The Matsue National Highway Office of Shimane Prefecture has dispatched and completed the installation of "disaster-prevention container-type toilets" to Hikawa Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, which was affected by the Reiwa 8 Kumamoto Earthquake. This support aims to dramatically improve the sanitary conditions in evacuation centers where water and power outages persist, thereby reducing the physical and mental stress of the disaster victims.
The Reiwa 8 Kumamoto Earthquake and Rapid Wide-Area Support by the Matsue National Highway Office
From Matsue to Kumamoto: Toilet Dispatch as Push-Type Support
At 16:27 on July 28, Reiwa 8, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred with its epicenter in the Kumamoto region of Kumamoto Prefecture. In response to this disaster, the Matsue National Highway Office of the Chugoku Regional Development Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism decided to provide rapid support using advanced equipment deployed at disaster-prevention roadside stations within its jurisdiction. Specifically, one disaster-prevention container-type toilet was dispatched from the "Kakeya no Sato" disaster-prevention roadside station in Kakeya-cho, Unnan City, Shimane Prefecture, to Hikawa Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, which suffered extensive damage.
Hikawa Town, the recipient of this support, recorded a maximum seismic intensity of 7 due to the earthquake, and the town's own roadside station, "Ryuhoku," also suffered damage, including to its toilets. Consequently, ensuring sanitary toilet facilities at evacuation centers became an urgent issue. This response by the Matsue National Highway Office was implemented as part of push-type support, which is carried out without waiting for specific requests from the affected local government. By utilizing the framework for wide-area dispatch, which allows disaster-prevention functions held by regional development bureaus outside of Kyushu to be deployed to disaster areas, it was possible to make decisions and move at an extremely early stage, just a few days after the disaster occurred. Please refer to the figure below.
Timeline from Departure to Start of Local Operation
The specific schedule for the dispatch of the container-type toilets proceeded extremely rapidly to ensure completion before conditions in the disaster area worsened. The decision to dispatch was announced by the Matsue National Highway Office on July 31, Reiwa 8, and actions began as early as the following day. Starting at 9:30 on August 1, a departure ceremony was held at the "Kakeya no Sato" roadside station in Shimane Prefecture, attended by officials from the Matsue National Highway Office and Unnan City, as well as the cooperating contractors responsible for transportation.
After the departure ceremony, the toilet unit was loaded onto a large vehicle, departed Shimane Prefecture, and arrived in Hikawa Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, on the same day. Subsequently, on the following day, August 2, installation work at the Ryuhoku Junior High School in Hikawa Town, which is serving as an evacuation center, was completed, and operation began immediately. This astonishing speed was made possible only by the characteristics of the container-type toilets, which are designed and maintained with mobility in mind from normal times, the coordination system of each regional development bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and a strong network with private cooperating contractors.
Advanced Functions and Role of Disaster-Prevention Container-Type Toilets
Self-Processing Technical Specifications Resistant to Power and Water Outages
The greatest feature of the disaster-prevention container-type toilets dispatched this time is that they can provide the same convenience as in normal times, even in harsh environments where external public infrastructure has completely stopped. The top of the container is equipped with solar power generation equipment and a large-capacity storage battery, making connection to commercial power completely unnecessary. This allows for the continued maintenance of lighting and flushing functions at night, even in areas where power outages are widespread.
Furthermore, innovative technology has been introduced to ensure a water environment. This unit adopts a water-circulating self-processing system with a built-in purification system, so once water is supplied at the start of operation, connection to water and sewage lines is unnecessary. In addition, due to the self-processing function, the removal of human waste is not required for a certain period. In evacuation centers where water pipes have burst and power outages continue, as is the case immediately after an earthquake, the ability of this single container to provide clean flush toilets even when existing toilets are unusable is of critical importance for maintaining sanitation in disaster-stricken areas.
Comfortable Usage Environment Protecting the Dignity of Evacuees
These toilets meet the high-level standard specifications of "comfortable toilets" recommended by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Inside one container, two clean Western-style toilets are installed, one for men and one for women. Many conventional temporary toilets are Japanese-style, which are often difficult for elderly people with weak legs and lower backs to use, and are often accompanied by mental distress such as darkness, odors, and anxiety about locking the door.
However, this container-type toilet is designed to significantly reduce the mental stress of disaster victims living in evacuation life by featuring bright LED lighting, robust locking functions such as double locks, and odor backflow prevention functions. Please refer to the figure below.
Toilet problems at evacuation centers can lead to secondary disasters, as victims may restrict their water intake to avoid using the toilet, which can lead to health issues such as economy class syndrome and dehydration. Providing sanitary and easy-to-use toilets is not just an improvement in convenience, but can be called an essential medical and social measure to protect the lives and health of disaster victims.
Wide-Area Disaster Support Network Based at Disaster-Prevention Roadside Stations
"Kakeya no Sato," the dispatch origin, is an important facility nationwide that has been designated as a "disaster-prevention roadside station" by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Disaster-prevention roadside stations are roadside stations that have been positioned as wide-area disaster-prevention bases in regional disaster-prevention plans of prefectures, etc., and for which the national government provides intensive support to strengthen their role as bases during disasters.
In addition to container-type toilets like the ones provided this time, these stations are equipped with emergency power supplies and stockpiles. While they function as local rest facilities and tourism hubs during normal times, in the event of an emergency, they serve as bases for recovery support or as hubs for dispatching equipment and materials to other regions. The reason the Matsue National Highway Office was able to provide support from Shimane Prefecture to Kumamoto Prefecture so quickly is that this nationwide disaster prevention network is being steadily developed.
Past Lessons and the Focus of Future Disaster Response
The Severity of the Toilet Problem in Evacuation Centers and Progress in Improvements
The toilet problem at evacuation centers emerged as a top-priority issue during many past disasters, particularly the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. Surveys from that time reported that queues formed for toilets at schools and other facilities used as evacuation centers, and that traveling to and from outdoor toilets placed an excessive burden on the elderly. Furthermore, the physical and mental stress of life in evacuation centers has been identified as a primary cause of disaster-related deaths, which account for approximately 80% of all disaster fatalities, and unsanitary toilet environments were a major contributing factor.
Based on these serious experiences, the number of local governments concluding rental agreements for temporary toilets in line with Cabinet Office guidelines has increased, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has also strongly promoted the adoption of Western-style toilets with flushing functions. The dispatch of container-type toilets by the Matsue National Highway Office this time is the result of efforts to resolve past lessons through concrete technology and systems, and can be called a symbolic case for improving the living environment of disaster victims.
Future Challenges and Further Strengthening of Wide-Area Cooperation Systems
The future focus is on how to deploy high-quality support like this on a larger scale, anywhere in the country. While container-type toilets are an extremely effective tool, their availability is still limited. Therefore, future discussions will likely focus on prioritizing their deployment at 'Disaster Prevention Roadside Stations' and promoting the stockpiling of container-type facilities in cooperation with private companies.
Furthermore, in addition to hardware improvements, an operational system to maintain and manage the dispatched equipment on-site is also crucial. As the Kyushu Regional Development Bureau has begun operating its own container-type toilets, there are expectations for the strengthening of a wide-area cooperation system where regional development bureaus can complement each other. The actions of the Matsue National Highway Office during the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake demonstrate that a 'mutual support network' that transcends prefectural borders functions in practice, and it will likely serve as a model case for Japan's future disaster prevention and mitigation measures.
Reference Pages
[Regarding the Damage Situation, etc. Caused by the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake (Report No. 40) - Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism] https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001479860.pdf
[Press Release Materials | Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Chugoku Regional Development Bureau, Matsue National Highway Office] http://www.cgr.mlit.go.jp/matsukoku/information/pressrelease.html
[Dispatch of Container-Type Toilets from Disaster Prevention Roadside Station 'Kakeya no Sato'] http://www.cgr.mlit.go.jp/matsukoku/information/pressrelease/2026/5_1387.pdf
[Regarding Recent Natural Disasters and Disaster Prevention/Mitigation Efforts] https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001150419.pdf
[#2026KumamotoEarthquake #DisasterPreventionRoadsideStation #ContainerTypeToilet #MatsueNationalHighwayOffice #HikawaTown #DisasterSupport #MinistryOfLandInfrastructureTransportAndTourism #ComfortableToilet]
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