Japan fans hold toilet use till halftime

Updated: Saturday June 15, 2002 12:47 a.m. ET

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TOKYO (AP) -- Many Japanese soccer fans, glued to television screens when their national team played, didn't even want to take toilet breaks during the game, then rushed to the bathroom during halftime.

The amount of water supply fell significantly during the game and surged during halftime when Japan played, compared to a day earlier, according to a newspaper Saturday and the city waterworks bureau in Yokohama, where the June 30 final game will be played.

When Japan played Russia Sunday night at Yokohama stadium, the amount of water supply jumped 33,000 tons to about 85,000 tons from just before the first half ended, the bureau said in a release published in its Website earlier this week.

Overall, the amount of water used in the 15 minutes was 8,000 tons more than that of the day earlier and was equivalent of about 800,000 toilet flushing. It means one in four Yokohama citizens rushed to the bathroom during halftime, the bureau said.

The water supply dived as the second half began, falling to as low as just over 30,000 tons -- nearly half the amount used in the same time frame the previous day -- when the game ended.

Use of water Sunday evening was larger than the previous day probably because many soccer fans tried to finish house chores and shower before the game began, the bureau said.

On Friday, when Japan played Tunisia, there was a 4,000-ton increase during halftime although it was during office hours, national newspaper Asahi reported Saturday in a regional edition.

Japan advanced to the World Cup second round for the first time after defeating Tunisia 2-0 in its last group match.