iKasa Office expands umbrella sharing service to Japanese workplaces

Nature Innovation Group Co., Ltd. has expanded its services with iKasa Office, launched in August. This new service is a business-to-business umbrella-sharing service designed to reduce increasing disposable plastic waste and protect office workers due to erratic weather caused by the climate crisis.

In 2026, Japan recorded a record number of extreme heat days exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. This has prompted stricter workplace safety regulations. Meanwhile, a survey of 1,121 office workers in Tokyorevealed that 66.8 per cent of respondents had purchased clear plastic umbrellas at convenience stores despite already owning umbrellas at home. Furthermore, 71.6 per cent reported leaving forgotten umbrellas stored at their workplaces, creating administrative burdens and environmental waste.

iKasa Office allows businesses to install dedicated umbrella stands within corporate premises. Employees can borrow and return lightweight, dual-purpose folding umbrellas that function both as rain protection and high-grade UV-blocking parasols.

The service offers options for both app-based and app-free operation, while corporate coupons enable employees to access or return umbrellas at more than 2,500 public iKasa locations across 14 prefectures. Following a trial conducted between February and July 2026, major companies including Mitsubishi Estate Parks and NTT DATA Intra-mart have formally adopted the service, expanding the sharing economy in Japan.