Photo/Illutration Hikers walk and enjoy the scenery of spreading cottongrass in the Oe wetlands in Oze National Park on July 3. (Maki Hoshii)

"When summer comes/ I remember/ Far-away Oze/ Distant sky ..." go the lyrics of "Natsu no Omoide" (Memories of summer), a 1949 pop number written by Shoko Ema (1913-2005).

Evoking images of the scenic marshes of Oze, the song became a hit and attracted many visitors to what is Oze National Park today.

The park has 18 public restrooms, but no sewage system. Instead, sewage is dried and air-transported, which costs 10 million yen ($7,330) a year per restroom.

Honor-system collection boxes were placed to charge 100 yen per user. Based on the number of toilet users caught on sensors, however, the amount actually collected averaged only 24 yen per person--meaning, three out of four users did not pay.

The Oze Preservation Foundation joined forces with PolicyGarage, an NPO specializing in public policy research, to determine how best to encourage users to pay.

Last summer, they launched a series of 20-day experiments.

First, they kept the collection boxes, but removed all posters that asked people, in stuffy bureaucratese, to financially contribute to the facilities' maintenance and management.

Nothing changed, however.

Next, posters were put up asking people, "Which season in Oze do you like? In summer or in autumn?" Two different collection boxes were placed close by, one for "summer" and the other for "autumn," instructing people to toss 100-yen coins into the box of their choice.

This, too, failed to produce the desired result.

Finally, a poster with a close-up photo of a small girl's beautiful, innocent eyes did the trick. The average payment amount went up to 34 yen per person.

"People probably became conscious of the eyes of other people, especially of the next generation," noted Toshika Ishii, 52, secretary-general of the Oze Preservation Foundation.

This particular experiment employed the so-called nudge method, which subtly encourages the subject to behave in a certain way, rather than by promising a reward or applying pressure.

In a classic example of a successful case, the cost of cleaning toilets was vastly reduced by drawing a target on each urinal.

The Oze keepers continue to explore psychology and behavioral economics in search of the most effective ways to appeal to the public.

In Oze, "nikkokisuge" day lilies are now at their peak. If you decide to go, please don't forget to bring 100-yen coins.

--The Asahi Shimbun, July 26

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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