TOKYO (Reuters) -- Forget the notebook and the multicolored pen: a Japanese firm has developed the latest in school supplies, chip-embedded student ID cards. The cards make it easier for parents to keep tabs on their youngsters, said Toru Hasegawa, a spokesman for software firm NAJ Corp, based in western Japan.

　　Students scan ID cards as they pass through the school entrance, and the time is recorded and sent via email to their parents' mobile phones or computers, he said. Parents are also alerted if their child fails to arrive at school. The same happens when school is over, so parents know when to expect their children to arrive home, Hasegawa said.

　　The system, which will go on sale in August, was conceived in response to growing concern about violence in Japan, he said. "Being able to quickly get the information that their kids are leaving school is a relief for parents," he explained.