Poll: Almost Half Of Japanese Use Cellphones While Bathing

Tokyo, Japan (AHN) - A recent study revealed that nearly half of the Japanese population has at least once taken their mobile devices with them to the bathtub.

Whether the device was a mobile phone, a portable music player, an email device, or a game console, 41.2 percent of Japanese have admitted to using them while enjoying a relaxing bath.

According to the AFP, the poll conducted by video game maker Sega, and answered by 16,250 people, revealed that the statistics for such a habit were similar and applicable to all sexes and all ages. However, teenagers were the most likely to take their mobile devices to the bath.

When asked, most respondents said that the reason they use their devices while bathing was to check their email. The second most prevalent reason was to listen to music.

The study believed that the number of people who take their cellphone with them is influenced by advertisements by Japanese mobile phone manufacturers that feature bath-friendly devices.

The habit comes as an indication of Japanese society's advanced transition into a high-technology culture.

According to Information Week, the first month of January this year showed no more second-generation phones being used in Japan. The current preference is 3G or more advanced models, according to the month's mobile phone sales records.

Some 60 percent of Japanese handsets are designed to feature a mobile TV broadcast service, allowing the user to watch free television broadcasts directly from their cell phones. A total of 20 million Japanese are subscribed to the service.