BBA 2025 Winner Profile: UK-Japan Partnership – Octopus Energy & Tokyo Gas

TG Octopus Energy, a joint venture between Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. and Octopus Energy UK, has been awarded a British Business Award (BBA) for making 'demonstrable contributions to strengthening the UK–Japan economic or commercial relationship over the past 12 months.'

The company’s representatives accepted the 2025 UK–Japan Partnership of the Year trophy at the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan’s black-tie gala on 7 November, describing the win as 'an incredible honour for the entire team.'

President and CEO Hajime Nakamura added: 'The BBA recognises not only our business achievements but also the shared values that underpin our partnership—innovation, sustainability and a customer-first mindset. For a relatively young organisation in Japan, receiving a BBA is a strong validation that we are moving in the right direction, and that our work is resonating both locally and internationally.'

Strong start

Octopus Energy UK and Tokyo Gas formed a business alliance in 2020 and established TG Octopus Energy in 2021 as a joint-venture company. Since its launch, the partnership has become a leading example of UK–Japan collaboration in energy. Its mission is to power a renewable energy revolution by imagining better energy for customers, building new technologies and supporting a sustainable future.

Unlike traditional hierarchical utilities, TG Octopus Energy operates as an energy technology pioneer, using technology, creativity and customer engagement to transform energy’s role in daily life, while delivering social and environmental value. At its core is Kraken, a proprietary energy technology platform based on advanced data and machine learning capabilities. Also adopted by Tokyo Gas, Kraken unifies customer management, streamlines operations and cuts costs to deliver affordable green power while also offering transparent communication with users. It was built specifically for the energy sector and offers a high level of customer self-service, enabling rapid rollout of innovative, customer-focused and eco-minded tariffs.

For example, around 110,000 customers took part in the 'Summer Happy Hour' campaign conducted from July to August 2025, creating a significant nationwide movement. During the designated two-hour window (11:00–13:00), approximately 4.5 million kWh of electricity consumption was concentrated, with over ¥36 million returned to customers in the form of bill discounts.

In addition, the company introduced 'All-Electric Octopus Sunshine,' a newly designed tariff offering lower daytime electricity rates, optimized for households with solar panels and the effective use of daytime renewable generation. At the same time, Octopus Energy enhanced its existing 'EV Octopus' tariff by extending preferential pricing beyond overnight hours to include discounted daytime rates. Through this combination of newly launched and enhanced plans, the company has expanded its ability to offer electricity pricing that better aligns with individual lifestyles while promoting greater use of renewable energy.

In the past 12 months TG Octopus Energy has supplied 100% renewable electricity to more than 500,000 households (as of early December 2025), achieving year-on-year growth of 54%. The company has also earned a 4.4-star rating on Google Reviews, placing it among the top-rated energy providers in the Japanese market.

Looking at regional efforts, the partnership has supplied energy to Kashima Antlers Stadium in Ibaraki Prefecture and to circulation schemes in Gunma Prefecture, thereby supporting community decarbonisation models. Together, these outcomes show the potential of UK–Japan collaboration to lower costs, advance the use of renewable energy in Japan and set a benchmark for the country’s transition to carbon neutrality by 2050, according to Octopus Energy.

Due to its achievements, TG Octopus Energy was chosen as a case study for the UK government’s Expand in Japan initiative designed to support UK investors seeking opportunities in the Japanese market and to mark the signing of a UK–Japan Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at enabling increased UK investment in Japan. The case study highlighted Octopus Energy’s contribution to bilateral economic ties and decarbonisation in both countries.

Coming up

Over the next year, Octopus Energy plans to strengthen its partnership with Tokyo Gas through three key pillars: digital transformation, customer-centric growth and expansion of behind-the-meter offerings.

In the area of digital transformation, it aims to leverage the capabilities of the Kraken platform to deliver faster, more intuitive customer experiences while strengthening operational excellence. By combining technology and branding, the joint venture hopes to accelerate meaningful change across the retail energy sector.

Plans are also underway to broaden the customer base in both the Tokyo metropolitan area—where TG Octopus Energy’s market penetration is greatest—and nationwide. Incentives will include the introduction of new tariff options, programmes and collaborative initiatives that make sustainable choices easier and more rewarding for customers in Japan.

Finally, work will continue to develop behind-the-meter offerings, such as residential solar and battery storage, under the Octopus brand. By expanding these distributed energy resources, TG Octopus Energy aims to empower customers to take a more active role in Japan’s move to a more resilient energy future.

Together, these initiatives are designed to combine Tokyo Gas’s deep local presence with Octopus Energy’s technology-driven approach, enabling the partnership to create greater value for customers and accelerate energy innovation in Japan in 2026 and beyond.

Reflecting on the BBA win, TG Octopus Energy’s Nakamura described the recognition from the BCCJ as 'a momentum builder,' adding that 'the award creates a renewed sense of responsibility and motivation to accelerate our mission: making energy greener, smarter and more accessible for everyone.

'We aim to deepen our community engagement, continue pushing digital innovation through Kraken, and broaden the range of services that empower customers to participate in the transition to clean energy. Winning the BBA is not a destination, it is a catalyst for our next chapter,' he said.