How to Change Electricity Providers in Tokyo

Poste date: Friday, April 12, 2024

In Japan, you are free to select your electricity and gas supplier of your choice. There may be companies that can save you more money on your electricity and gas bills than you are paying now. Here, we introduce the benefits of switching providers.

Before switching a provider, please check your current contract if there are any conditions on the length of the contract. It depends on the contract however, there may be a penalty charge if the contract is cancelled during the contract period, so it is important to check you current contract beforehand.

To learn about utility prices in Japan, please refer to "Public Utility Prices in Japan".

How to Switch your Electricity / Gas Provider

Many people may think that switching providers is a difficult task, but the procedure is very simple.

The first step is to choose the electricity provider you would like to switch to. Once you have selected and contacted the electricity provider, the next step is simply to give them your information. This can be done online or over the phone. As mentioned above, you need to be careful about the end date of your current contract and cancellation policy, as switching plans before the end of your contract could result in high cancellation fees.

In general, the information required is as follows:

Your name
Your address
Your current electricity supplier
Customer number issued by your current electricity supplier (お客様番号)
22-digit electricity supply point identification number (地点番号 / optional)
＊The last three pieces of information can be found on your electricity bill.

After you have signed a contract with your new electricity provider, you do not have to worry about contacting your current provider to cancel your contract. Your new provider will cancel your contract with your current provider on your behalf.

Once your new provider has cancelled your contract, you will be informed that your electricity contract has been switched over. You can also rest assured that there will be no power cuts during the switchover. The changeover will be smooth.

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