Survey on "Connection" Consciousness for Single Households 2026

Able Holdings Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, hereinafter Able Holdings) operates the single-living support brand "Hitogura," which is managed by the specialized lab "Hitogurashi Kenkyujo" (Living Alone Research Lab) that researches single living from multiple angles. "Hitogurashi Kenkyujo" conducted the "Survey on 'Connection' Consciousness for Single Households 2026." We report the survey results below.

"Connection" Consciousness Survey for Single Households 2026 Survey Period: Wednesday, March 11, 2026 - Friday, March 13, 2026 Valid Responses: 802 individuals *Varies by question Survey Method: Internet survey Target: Men and women aged 20-39, residing in Japan, currently living alone.

Survey Result Summary 1: Approximately 60% entrust their spare keys to someone. Among women, about 50% are less likely to give keys than men. 2: Only about 10% know their neighbors' faces and names. Approximately 30% know only their faces, meaning half do not know their neighbors. 3: About 80% talk to something indoors. Talking to oneself or objects is the overwhelming majority. 4: Those who talk to themselves or objects while living alone experience self-care effects such as "alleviating loneliness" and "relieving stress." 5: About 60% feel a sense of familiarity with AI chatbots and smart speakers, similar to housemates or friends.

Approximately 60% of all individuals living alone entrust their spare keys to someone. Among these, "parents" (41.0%) were the most common, followed by "lover/partner" (10.6%) and "siblings" (5.8%). Regarding the consciousness difference between genders, 50.4% of women responded that they "do not give keys to anyone," which is about 15% higher than men. While men tend to entrust keys to family, women's attitudes may stem from an emphasis on "individual independence" and "privacy" in their single lives.

52.0% of all men and women living alone responded that they do not know their neighbors' faces or names. This indicates that "urban loneliness," where there is absolutely no psychological or emotional contact despite living physically next to each other, is becoming generalized. Comparing genders, men are more likely to not know their neighbors' faces and names, suggesting that men tend to avoid interaction with neighbors, prioritize privacy, or are indifferent. In contrast, women have a higher rate of "knowing only the face" (33.6%) compared to men, possibly indicating an awareness of recognizing the other person when passing them in common areas, including for security reasons. The group that knows only the name is low at 4.3% overall. This indicates that the former "nameplate" culture has declined, and with increased awareness of personal information protection, the current standard neighborly distance is seeing faces but not knowing names.

While relationships with neighbors are becoming more distant, people living alone are building their own communication within their homes. A total of 77.8% of men and women living alone responded that they "talk to themselves" or "talk to objects" within their homes. Particularly, about one in three women frequently talk to themselves, suggesting that "voice" plays an important role as a means of mental care for alleviating loneliness and organizing one's own emotions. In recent years, the popularization of talking to smart speakers may be partly attributed to the fact that such a "latent need to vocalize even when alone at home" has taken root strongly among single-person households.

"Alleviating loneliness" (34.4%) and "relieving stress" (34.1%) were top responses at nearly equal rates. Negative reactions such as "feeling empty" (3.3%) were extremely low, indicating that the act of vocalizing is an effective self-care for those living alone. Comparing genders, men, whose neighborly relations are more distant, tend to try to fill the "gaps of loneliness" by speaking, while women tend to "reset their feelings" and "relieve daily stress" by venting emotions accumulated from daily life. Furthermore, about 17% of both men and women reported the effect of organizing their thoughts, suggesting that talking to oneself is not just about filling loneliness but also serves as a "mental sticky note" for organizing thoughts and managing tasks. Talking to oneself or objects appears to be an important behavior for smoothly running a single household.

While more than half of respondents don't know their neighbors' faces and names, approximately 60% of those living alone accept AI as a presence similar to "housemates" or "friends." AI is accepted not merely as a "tool" for things like telling the weather or playing music, but as a "presence" sharing the same space. The "talking to oneself" that was once directed at oneself has now found an outlet in AI, a "housemate who doesn't require effort," evolving into an important entity for alleviating loneliness and stress. As physical connections with neighbors become more distant, "pseudo-others" like AI are naturally integrating into daily life, filling the emotional void with AI while maintaining a comfortable distance from neighbors and family at home. This cohabitation style with AI is becoming widespread.

This survey highlights the characteristics of modern single living: "anonymity on the outside" and "intimacy on the inside." While traditional external connections like community ties, such as "the three neighboring houses," have weakened, modern single individuals are thoughtfully choosing "talking to oneself" and "AI" partners who offer companionship to organize themselves and be kind to themselves, demonstrating a style of flexible independence. While maintaining comfortable distances with others and protecting privacy outside, they gather their thoughts and heal their minds by conversing with AI and themselves at home. This "quiet self-reliance" of single living can perhaps be considered a rich and luxurious way of life.

To everyone starting a new life this April, being "alone" does not necessarily equate to being "lonely." We hope you can spend your "alone" time as a luxurious opportunity to enjoy your own freedom and cherish yourself.

The survey content is also introduced on the Hitogura Lab website. [View Details](https://hitogura.jp/report/connection2026)

About Hitogurashi Kenkyujo: "Hitogurashi Kenkyujo," operated by Able, a real estate rental brokerage, goes beyond traditional real estate services. It aims to comprehensively research and analyze single living, delve into the realities and challenges of living alone, and apply the insights gained to actual services. It constantly strives to make single living more secure, comfortable, and fulfilling.

Established: July 4, 2025 Operated by: Able Holdings Inc. Director: Akie Akahoshi URL: https://hitogura.jp/

[Hitogurashi Kenkyujo] Official Website: https://hitogura.jp/ Official X: https://x.com/hitogura_ Official TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hitogurashitai Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitogura_labo

[Media Inquiries] Able Holdings Inc. Public Relations Office TEL: 03-5770-2618 FAX: 03-5414-0675 MAIL: pr@able.co.jp