BC-AS--Japan-Toilet Refugees, 1st Ld-Writethru,0290

Toilet shortage feared in case of big Tokyo quake

Eds: Trims.

By MARI YAMAGUCHI

Associated Press Writer

TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's disaster prevention panel said nearly a million people would be unable to find a toilet if a major earthquake were to hit Tokyo on a weekday.

The panel studied a simulation of a magnitude-7.3 quake striking Tokyo at noon on a workday and found it would send 12 million people spilling from their offices.

The report also said 7 million people would be unable to return home and 4.6 million would be forced to seek public shelter.

"Toilet shortage not only makes (quake survivors') lives unpleasant, but causes hygiene and health problems," said the report issued Monday.

The report said 810,000 people would be desperately looking for a toilet within hours of such a major quake, even if half of the public facilities remained intact.

Although officials tend to focus on providing food and water after a disaster, toilet needs should get more attention, said Masaya Takahashi, a Cabinet official in charge of disaster prevention.

Officials have plans to make toilets available at schools, convenience stores, gas stations and other public facilities, but the report urged further effort.

Japan is among the world's most earthquake-prone countries, and experts believe Tokyo has a 90 percent chance of being hit by a major quake in the next 50 years.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)