Highlights from the British Business Awards 2025

Written by Kathryn Wortley, Sterling Content

'Beyond the Sky, Achievement in Motion' was the theme of the 2025 British Business Awards (BBA), the accolades celebrating the very best of UK–Japan business and cultural relations, presented by the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ).

Members and their guests were full of excitement for the gala as they gathered at Hilton Tokyo, dressed in tuxedos and evening gowns—as well as kilts and kimono—for an evening of fabulous food, entertainment and networking on November 7.

This year saw 48 BBA nominees compete for a coveted gong across seven award categories: Company of the Year; UK–Japan Partnership of the Year; Entrepreneur of the Year; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Digital & Tech Innovation; Responsible Business and New Market Entrant.
 

Toasting excellence

Attendees were welcomed at the Nyetimber Sparkling Wine Reception where they picked up a glass of bubbly and their 'boarding pass' for the evening—a nod to the theme of the BBA and the event’s headline sponsor, British Airways. Nominees, meanwhile, had their photos taken by representatives of visual production company Life.14 at a BBA-themed photo booth.

Soon after, the ballroom doors were opened and the BCCJ bar began serving beer from Peroni; regional sake and shochu from Bungo Nakagawa Breweries; and Silent Pool Gin and whiskies crafted at the distilleries of Arran, Lagg, Kilchoman, GlenAllachie and Kingsbarns, courtesy of Whisk-e Limited.

The atmosphere was electric as members reconnected and networked, reflecting on another year of doing business in Japan. Soon the event was ready for take-off, with a comical video presentation and a riveting performance of modern dance by G-Rockets.

Returning as joint master of ceremonies were Guy Perryman MBE and Madoka Kato, who guided attendees through the evening’s celebrations with pizzazz.

The sumptuous six-course meal began with sustainable smoked salmon and a yuzu dill whipped cheese, followed by a roasted butternut squash, chevre and pinenuts velouté. The “Captain’s Choice” dish featured a roasted Japanese beef tenderloin and seared foie gras, served with truffle mash potatoes, mushrooms and red wine jus, saffron cauliflower puree and seasonal vegetables. The next course was a decadent variety of cheeses, figs, persimmon and Ginza honey, followed by winter carrot cake with whipped cream cheese and crème anglaise foam. The menu was wrapped up with coffee or tea.
 

Celebrating UK–Japan ties

BCCJ President Richard Lyle took to the stage to welcome attendees to the 18th BBA, which he described as a 'prestigious event, coming of age.'

'This year’s theme symbolises our members who work tirelessly in the fields of DEI, sustainability, responsible business and digitech, achieving very real goals,' he said. 'Our members are truly the heart of the BCCJ, and it is heartwarming to witness the outstanding contributions each of you has made, as beautifully showcased through the various award applications.'

Reflecting on the top-quality efforts of the nominees and how they support the deepening of UK–Japan ties, he said, 'each BBA nomination demonstrates the strong bond between the UK and Japan,' before asking attendees to join him in a toast to the UK–Japan relationship.  

BCCJ Executive Director Sarah Backley said the event presented a wonderful opportunity to make new connections and strengthen existing ones: 'What we strive to do at the BCCJ,' she said, is to help members become more 'connected to information, connected to opportunities, and—of course—connected to one another.'

Guests then heard messages from the BBA’s valued sponsors, who celebrated the work and commitment of the nominees and offered them good luck and congratulations, before thanking the BCCJ for being part of their special event.
 

Recognising the winners

Before announcing the BBA winners, British Ambassador to Japan Julia Longbotttom CMG highlighted 2025 as another year of fantastic collaboration between British and Japanese companies.

'The importance of business to the bilateral relationship was underscored in March this year during the visit by the UK Foreign Secretary and Business Secretary to Tokyo. They announced with their counterparts the intention to deliver an Industrial Strategy Partnership with Japan—the first of its kind—which has now been formalised,' she said, noting that the Industrial Strategy Partnership 'lays a path to even greater opportunity for UK and Japanese businesses to benefit from our complementary strengths in engineering, innovation and creativity.'

This year was also special because of the British presence at Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai. 'Nowhere was innovation and creativity more present this year than at the UK Pavilion,' she continued, describing it as 'a hive of activity' that hosted 16 trade missions and a full programme of events, as well as thousands of members of the public and special guests.  

Before presenting the awards, she recognised both the nominees and the efforts of the six judges from the UK–Japan community who hail from diverse fields. The panel comprised fashion icon Sir Paul Smith KBE; Jeremy Sampson, CEO of Northeast Asia & Greater China for Robert Walters; Kaori Nakano, CEO of Kaori Nakano KK; Christina Yoko Makiguchi, Japan CEO of Revolut; Hiroshi Tajima, former deputy chief negotiator of the TPP; and Sharon Hodgson MP, UK Trade Envoy to Japan.  

BBA nominations were judged against specific criteria, founded on the BBA values of success, innovation and ethics. The BBA employed a well-defined and tested framework to ensure that the judging process was fair and free of influence, with each winning entry determined through a combined score from the independent judges. These judges used the same scoring matrix to evaluate submissions across the categories, which ensured consistency and fairness throughout the process.

This year’s winners were Quantinuum KK, Walk Japan, Transreport Limited, Tokamak Energy K.K., TG Octopus Energy—Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd, KiFor and The British School in Tokyo.

To read more about the 2025 winners, please visit here.

The BBA would not have been possible without the support of many BCCJ member companies including headline sponsor British Airways; gold sponsors BAE Systems and Square; silver sponsors Argentum Wealth and Forvis Mazars; and more than 20 in-kind sponsors.

'With 77 years of connecting Japan and the UK in the air, and in partnership with the BCCJ, we are delighted to sponsor this year’s British Business Awards 2025,' said Satsuki Inoue, commercial manager of Japan for British Airways & Iberia.

The BBA was followed by a nijikai (afterparty) at Hilton Tokyo’s Zatta, a bar/lounge offering signature cocktails and drink favourites in a trendy setting.