Many dual-income families with children worry about "children being home alone after school." Nature conducts a survey on leaving elementary school children home alone and key management.

Nature Inc. (Location: Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Representative Director: Harumi Shiode, hereinafter "Nature"), whose mission is to "drive coexistence with nature," conducted a "Survey on Awareness of Child Safety When Parents Are Absent" targeting 300 guardians of dual-income households with elementary school children who return home before their guardians.

In over half of dual-income households with elementary school children, there is time when "children are home alone" two to three or more times a week after school. Over 80% use facilities and services such as after-school care, extracurricular activities, and cram schools as places for children to spend time, and the most common concern associated with this was "forgetting to lock the door."

Regarding key management, over half responded that they "give them a physical key," followed by "hiding it in a fixed place," indicating that methods with risks of loss or theft are mainstream. On the other hand, the biggest concern regarding key management is "loss" (51.3%), followed by "being targeted by suspicious individuals because they are known to be a "key child" (41.3%). The top three issues they want to solve are "risks of key management," "confirming the child's whereabouts and safety," and "managing door locking and fire safety."

To address these household challenges, Nature is holding a "Child-Rearing Support Sale" for the "Nature Key & Lock Set" exclusively on the Nature Official Store, from July 2 (Thu) 13:00 to July 13 (Mon) 23:59.

◼︎ The "Key Child Problem" for Elementary Schoolers is a Daily Challenge for Many Families

A screening survey of 2,000 parents with children revealed that 83.5% responded "both parents work (full-time or part-time)." In today's society where dual-income households are the norm, how to ensure the safety and whereabouts of children after school is a challenge faced by many families.

When asked about the return times of guardians with elementary school children in dual-income households, 44.4% responded "between 17:00 and 18:00," and 56.0% including after 19:00. On the other hand, since elementary school dismissal is generally between 15:00 and 16:00, children in many households return home first, creating a "blank time" when they are home alone.

In fact, when asked "How often does time occur when children are home alone before guardians return on weekdays after school?", 34.8% responded "almost every day" and 20.5% responded "2-3 times a week," indicating that it occurs multiple times a week or more in 55.3% of households.

Furthermore, in response to the question "How do you fill the time children spend alone?", about 80% answered that they use external facilities and services such as after-school care, extracurricular activities, and cram schools.

As will be discussed later, although it is recognized that children going out alone without guardians involves risks, it seems difficult to keep curious children at home all the time.

Additionally, the most frequent concern when children go out alone again after returning home was "forgetting to lock the door when leaving the house" at 56.7%.

When leaving children to spend time alone after school, locking the front door appears to be the most pressing issue.

◼︎ Key management is dominated by "giving children a physical key." However, its risks are also recognized.

When asked about key management methods for children who return home first (this survey, n=300), 53.3% answered "giving the child a dedicated physical key," which was the highest response. Next, 16.0% responded "hiding it in a fixed place outside, such as under a mailbox or behind a planter," revealing a usage pattern with significant security risks.

On the other hand, regarding concerns about carrying a physical key (multiple responses), "losing the key" was the most common at 51.3%. This was followed by "being targeted by suspicious individuals because they know the child has a key" (41.3%).

It was found that while many guardians have their children use physical keys, they also recognize that managing them involves many risks.

◼︎ The top issue to resolve is "key management risks," followed by "real-time tracking of location and safety."

When asked about issues that have not yet been resolved and issues they want to solve in the future (multiple responses), "risks of physical key management (loss, security concerns, etc.)" was the most common at 42.0%. This was followed by "inability to track the child's real-time location and safety" (39.0%), and "safety management within the home, such as door locking and fire safety" (38.7%).

This survey highlighted that "keys" and "monitoring" are two pressing unresolved issues for dual-income families raising children.

Specifically regarding key management, the current situation is that many guardians give keys to their children while recognizing the issues and risks.

◼︎ Nature Key Solves "Key Management" and "Monitoring" Issues Simultaneously

To address the "risks of key management" and "child safety confirmation" identified in this survey, Nature offers the smart key "Nature Key."

Nature Key is compatible with Apple's "Find My" app, allowing users to locate the key if their child loses it by displaying its location on a map or sounding an alarm.

In the unlikely event that it cannot be found, unlike a physical key, it can be rendered unusable simply by disconnecting it from the app, minimizing the risk of misuse by a third party.

Generally, if a physical key is lost, it often requires replacing the entire lock cylinder for security reasons, with an estimated cost of around 30,000 to 40,000 yen (estimated based on information released by key replacement companies, including parts and labor costs).

On the other hand, with Nature Key, if it is lost, you only need to repurchase the Nature Key unit (7,480 yen, tax included), significantly reducing expenses. Furthermore, its design does not immediately identify it as a key, reducing the risk of suspicious individuals targeting children who are perceived as "key children."

By using Nature Key, you can manage return confirmations, lock confirmations, key loss tracking, and door locking checks all from a single smartphone, greatly reducing the "after-school anxiety" of dual-income families.

Another feature is that children only carry the Nature Key unit, and parents can complete all app operations, eliminating the need for children to carry smartphones.

"Child-Rearing Support Sale" Details

In response to the survey revealing the reality of dual-income families worrying about key management risks and child safety, Nature is holding a "Child-Rearing Support Sale" to help solve these issues. During the period, the "Nature Key & Lock Set" will be available for 26,800 yen (tax included), a discount of 6,000 yen from the regular price of 32,800 yen (tax included) on the Nature Official Store. If you purchase two "Nature Key & Lock Sets" simultaneously, you can get them for 49,800 yen (tax included), a discount of 15,800 yen from the regular price of 65,600 yen (tax included). Please note that this offer cannot be combined with other discount coupons.

Event Name

Child-Rearing Support Sale

Period

July 2, 2026 (Thu) 13:00 - July 13, 2026 (Mon) 23:59

Sales Channel

Nature Official Store

Target Products

Nature Key & Lock Set

Price (Tax Included)

When purchasing 1 unit: 26,800 yen (6,000 yen off from regular price of 32,800 yen) When purchasing 2 units simultaneously: 49,800 yen (15,800 yen off from regular price of 65,600 yen)

Purchase Page URL

https://shop.nature.global/pages/nature-lock

"Survey on Awareness of Child Safety When Parents Are Absent in Dual-Income Households with Children" Overview

Item

Details

Target Audience

[Screening Survey]

2,000 respondents meeting the following criteria:

- Own detached house - Have children - Aged 30-50

[Main Survey]

300 respondents from 421 individuals who responded to the screening survey with the following criteria:

- Have elementary school children - Both parents work - Time spent alone occurs 2-3 or more times per week

Survey Method

Web survey

Survey Period

3 days from June 22, 2026 (Mon) to June 24, 2026 (Wed)

Number of Questions

Screening: 5 questions / Main survey: 5 questions

Valid Responses

Screening: 2,000 people / Main survey: 300 people

About Nature Key

"Nature Key" is a dedicated smart key for using the smart lock "Nature Lock" without having to consciously think about key operations. By carrying it with your usual keys, it supports hands-free unlocking that automatically unlocks when you stand in front of the entrance, and can also lock and unlock by pressing the button on the unit. It has obtained Apple MFi certification and is equipped with a loss prevention function compatible with Apple's "Find My" app, allowing you to search for it by displaying its location on a map or sounding an alarm if it is lost. If it cannot be found, it can be disabled by disconnecting it from the app, preventing misuse by third parties. Up to 20 units can be registered per "Nature Lock," allowing for separate use as keys for each family member.

"Nature Lock" is a smart lock that is retrofitted to the front door to make it IoT-enabled. It features auto-lock that automatically locks when it detects the door is closed, and the battery life of the unit is approximately 2 years. The hardware and firmware adopt the design and technology of "Qrio Lock" and are developed and manufactured in Japan. Furthermore, by linking with the separately sold smart remote "Nature Remo" series, remote operation, confirmation of battery level and lock status, and various notification functions can be used. It can also be operated from Apple Watch or widgets, and two units can be linked to operate simultaneously for double-locked doors.

About Nature

Nature's mission is to "drive coexistence with nature," and it aims to shift to renewable energy using IoT products. In 2017, it launched the smart remote "Nature Remo" and has led the Japanese smart home market. In 2019, it entered the energy management business with the smartphone HEMS "Nature Remo E," and continues to expand its business through the launch of its "Demand Response Support Service" for power companies in 2022 and the EV charging controller "Nature EV Switch" in 2025. By building the "Nature DER Platform" that optimally controls distributed energy resources (DER) such as solar panels, storage batteries, and EVs, it contributes to the update of power infrastructure and creates a new future for energy.

Nature Inc. Overview

Company Name: Nature Inc.

Location: 1-1 Sakae-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, 221-0052

Established: December 10, 2014

Representative: Harumi Shiode, Representative Director

Business Overview: Development, manufacturing, and sales of IoT devices, and energy management business

URL: https://nature.global/