Government Intrusion in Taiwan!

Have they not hear of limited government in Taiwan?

Via the BBC:  Taiwan minister says men should sit down to urinate

A Taiwanese minister has caused widespread debate on hygiene by suggesting that men should sit down while urinating instead of standing up.

Stephen Shen, Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) minister, said that sitting on the toilet like women do creates a cleaner environment.

[…]

Inspectors regularly grade Taiwan’s estimated 100,000 public toilets, with most of receiving high marks. But EPA officials say there is room for improvement, as some toilets are still smelly because of urine spatter.

Based on anecdotal evidence linked to my three sons, the Minister may have a point.

And, it is all based in a little comparative public policy:

"We want to learn from Japan and Sweden," said Yuan Shaw-jing, EPA director general of environmental santitation and toxic substance maintenance.

"In Japan, we heard 30% of the men sit," he added.

FILED UNDER: Asia, Environment, Europe, World Politics, , , ,
Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. Ben Wolf says:

    It’s either all government or no government! No one can know where to draw the line.

  2. Franklin says:

    I refuse to sit on a urinal!