The Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Japan (SpCCJ) is proud to announce the opening of the candidacy submission for the 10th Edition of the Spain-Japan Business Contribution Awards (SJBCA).

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the SJBCA, a milestone that celebrates a decade of recognising excellence in Spain–Japan business relations. 

Previous editions

2016 – LaLiga

The first Award was given to LaLiga, whose President, Javier Tebas, flew from Spain for the ceremony, to recognize LaLiga’s impressive work in Sports Business, from broadcasting and digital, to fan merchandise and travel, which influenced the Japanese football business enormously.

2017 – Rakuten, Inc.

In its second year in 2017, the Award was presented to Rakuten’s CEO, Mr. Hiroshi Mikitani, for their remarkable contribution to Spain-Japan’s commercial relationship by investing in Spain in various sectors. Rakuten is also recognised globally as the Main Global Partner and the first-ever Official Innovation and entertainment Partner of FC Barcelona for more than 4 years.

2018 – Gestamp Autotech Japan

In 2018, we presented the Award to the Spanish multi-national automotive engineering company Gestamp Autotech Japan, to recognise their outstanding performance in Japan, which includes the launch of their R&D Centre in Tokyo and the opening of a production plant in Mie prefecture in Japan. 

2019 – Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.

In 2019, the award’s ceremony took place at the  Residence of H.M. Ambassador of Spain to Japan, Jorge Toledo and the Award was presented to Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., to celebrate their rapid expansion in Spain with store openings of their signature brand UNIQLO, in various locations in Spain. 

2020 – Japan Airlines & Amadeus IT Group S.A.

In 2020, the award ceremony took place at our corporate member hotel, The Prince Park Tower Tokyo Hotel. In this fifth year, the SpCCJ presented for the first time “the joint award” to Japan Airlines (JAL) and Amadeus IT Group S.A. (Amadeus) for making outstanding contributions to Spain Spain-Japan commercial relationship through their partnership agreement signed last year in 2019.

2021 – Never Say Never (Sports&Life)

In 2021, the award was presented to Spanish football legend Andrés Iniesta and his company, SPORTS&LIFE (now operating under the name Never Say Never), during a ceremony at the Tokyo EDITION. 

This recognition highlighted the significant role Iniesta played in raising Spain’s profile in Japan and his contributions to strengthening Spain–Japan business relations through the various projects led by his company.

2022 – NTT DATA, Inc.

The 2022 Award was granted to the Japanese company NTT Data, Inc., during a ceremony at the Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon. NTT Data was recognised for its contributions to Spain in areas like direct investment, digital transformation and strategic market value. The prize was accepted by Kazuhiro Nishihata, Representative Director, President, and CEO of NTT Data, Inc.

 2023 – Hitachi Group

In the 2023 edition, the ceremony returned to the Tokyo EDITION. The Award was presented to Hitachi Group for establishing their eighth subsidiary in Spain and participating in key industries such as mobility, renewable energy, and IT, which are crucial for developing smarter, greener, and more efficient systems for the future. Mr. Jun Taniguchi, Vice President and Executive Officer of Hitachi, Ltd., and CEO of Hitachi Digital LLC, received the award from the Ambassador of Spain to Japan, H.E. Fidel Sendagorta Gomez del Campillo.

2024 – ITX Japan Corp.

The ninth SJBCA was held at The Peninsula Tokyo, where ITX Japan was honoured during a ceremony attended by over 100 guests, with Managing Director Etsuko Lawson receiving the award.

With 75 stores and over 2,800 employees, ITX Japan is a key player in Japan’s retail market. The company is committed to employee development, gender equality, and sustainability, and celebrated 25 years in Japan in 2023.

2025 The 10th Anniversary

The tenth anniversary of the Spain–Japan Business Contribution Awards marked a milestone in the history of the programme, introducing two award categories for the first time. Iberia Airlines was recognised for strengthening air connectivity between Spain and Japan, while Fujitsu Limited was honoured for its contribution to Spain’s digital transformation.

Held on 28 November at ENEKO Tokyo, the ceremony welcomed Ms. Inmaculada Riera, President of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce of Spain, as guest of honour. The awards were received by Mr. Carlos Pinacho, Business Developer for APAC and Japan at Iberia, and Mr. Shunsuke Onishi, Corporate Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer at Fujitsu Limited.