If you're a foreign resident in Japan, you can switch electricity providers just as easily as any Japanese citizen. Since the 2016 deregulation of the electricity market (電力自由化, denryoku jiyūka), households across the country have been free to choose their electricity company — not just the regional monopoly they were assigned by default. Your visa type, residency status, or nationality has no bearing on this. If you have a rental contract or own property and a name on the current electricity account, you're eligible to switch.
This guide walks through exactly what switching involves, what information you need to have ready, and what actually happens (and doesn't happen) to your home when you do it.
Yes, Anyone Can Switch — Including You
Before liberalization, most households had no choice: your electricity came from one regional utility (like TEPCO in the Kanto area or Kansai Electric in the Kansai area), and that was that. Since April 2016, dozens of companies — from telecom carriers to gas companies to independent retailers — have been allowed to sell electricity to households nationwide. Switching between them is a normal consumer choice, not a special procedure reserved for citizens or long-term residents. Whether you're on a work visa, a student visa, a spouse visa, or permanent residency, the process is identical.
You Don't Need to Contact Your Current Provider
This is the part that surprises most people, foreign and Japanese alike: you do not need to call, email, or write to your existing electricity company to cancel your contract. When you sign up with a new provider, the new company handles the cancellation of your old contract on your behalf, and coordinates the switch-over date with the local grid operator. Your only job is to complete the sign-up with the new provider — they take care of the rest of the paperwork.
No Construction, No Wiring Changes, No Power Cuts
Switching providers does not involve an electrician, new wiring, or any physical work inside your home. The poles, cables, and grid infrastructure delivering power to your apartment or house are exactly the same regardless of who bills you. Electricity itself is generated and transmitted the same way — what changes is purely which company sends you the monthly invoice and at what rate.
Because nothing physical changes, there is no interruption to your power supply during the switch. You won't experience a blackout, a temporary shutoff, or any service gap. The transition happens entirely on the administrative side, timed to your regular meter-reading cycle.
What You'll Need: Two Numbers From Your Bill
To sign up with a new provider, you'll be asked for a couple of pieces of information from your current electricity account. If you receive a paper bill, this is your 検針票 (kenshinhyō), the meter-reading slip left in your mailbox each month. If you manage your account online through your current provider's app or web portal, the same information is available in your account details page.
- 供給地点特定番号 (kyōkyū chiten tokutei bangō) — a 22-digit "supply point number" unique to your specific address and meter. This is the key identifier every new provider needs to set up service at your location. You'll find it printed on your kenshinhyō or listed in your online account summary.
- Your current contract details — this typically includes your current provider's name, your customer/contract number, and your amperage or contract capacity (アンペア, anpea). Having a recent bill on hand, whether paper or a screenshot of your online account, makes this step quick.
If you've recently moved and are setting up service in a new home for the first time rather than switching an existing account, the process and paperwork are a little different — see our guide on setting up electricity when moving in Japan for that situation.
Do You Have a Smart Meter?
Most homes and apartments in Japan have already been fitted with a smart meter (スマートメーター, sumāto mētā) as part of a nationwide rollout completed in recent years. A smart meter allows remote, automatic reading and remote switch-over, which is what makes same-day-free, contact-free switching possible.
If your unit is one of the few that still has an older analog meter, your new provider will arrange for the grid operator to install a smart meter for you at no charge. This installation is quick, doesn't require you to do anything beyond being reachable to schedule it, and still does not cause a power outage.
How Long Does the Switch Take?
Once you've signed up with a new provider, the switch typically takes effect at your next scheduled meter-reading date, which is generally two to four weeks after you apply, depending on your area's reading cycle. Your new provider will confirm the exact effective date during sign-up. Until that date, your existing provider continues to supply and bill you as normal — there's no gap and nothing you need to do in the meantime.
To understand how your bill breaks down once the switch is complete, including the base charge, usage tiers, and fuel cost adjustments, it helps to read our guide to how to read a Japanese electricity bill.
Choosing a New Provider as a Foreign Resident
The main practical hurdle for foreign residents isn't eligibility, it's language. Many electricity companies' sign-up pages and customer support are Japanese-only, which can make comparing plans and completing sign-up forms slower than it needs to be. If reading Japanese support materials is a barrier, our roundup of electricity companies with English-language support is a good place to start narrowing down your options. To compare estimated monthly costs across providers and plans for your own usage pattern, use the electricity cost calculator on this site rather than relying on advertised headline rates, which often don't reflect your actual bill.
You Can Switch Back — Or Switch Again
There's no penalty structure that traps you into a single choice for years. If a new provider doesn't work out, or if a better plan appears elsewhere, you're free to switch again using the same process. Some fixed-term plans may include a cancellation fee if you leave within an initial period, so it's worth checking the plan's terms before signing up, but there is no rule against switching multiple times over the years you live in Japan. Many residents switch once when they first learn liberalization exists, then occasionally again as new plans or bundled discounts (with mobile or gas service) become available.
A Simple Checklist Before You Start
- Find your current 検針票 (kenshinhyō) or log in to your current provider's online account.
- Note down your 22-digit 供給地点特定番号 (kyōkyū chiten tokutei bangō) and your contract amperage.
- Compare estimated costs for your usage using the calculator.
- Sign up with the new provider — by phone, online, or through an app — providing the numbers above.
- Confirm your switch-over date with the new provider and simply wait; no further action or contact with your old provider is needed.
If you still have questions specific to your situation, our FAQ page covers common edge cases, including what happens if you're moving out soon or sharing a meter with roommates.
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