Can Japan’s toilet technology crack global markets?
The leading maker of electronic bidets shows the difficulties facing Japanese companies abroad
The past century has been one of relentless innovation. But in the West the humble toilet is a curious exception. By the early 20th century, free-standing flush toilets with U-bend plumbing were being installed in homes on both sides of the Atlantic. Americans and Europeans seem to think that the model is still more or less good enough.
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This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Flush fund”
Business November 2nd 2024
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