Spain-Japan Business Contribution Awards
List of SJBCA Winners
2016 LALIGA đź“·
2017 Rakuten, Inc. đź“·
2018 Gestamp Autotech Japan đź“·
2019 FAST RETAILING CO., LTD. đź“·
2020 Japan Airlines and Amadeus ITÂ Group đź“·
2021 Sports&Life (Never Say Never) đź“·
2022 NTT DATA, Inc. đź“·
2023 Hitachi Group đź“·
2024 ITX Japan đź“·
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. To commemorate this special edition, we have introduced a new nomination system that welcomes proposals from all our members, ensuring broader participation and recognition of outstanding contributions across our community.
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 around 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.Â
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.Â
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 – Sports&Life (Andrés Iniesta)
In 2021, the award was presented to Spanish football legend AndrĂ©s Iniesta and his company SPORTS&LIFE (now operating under the name Never Say Never) during a ceremony at the Tokyo EDITION.Â
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.
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. To commemorate this special edition, we have introduced a new nomination system that welcomes proposals from all our members, ensuring broader participation and recognition of outstanding contributions across our community.
Call for Candidacies
We welcome nominations of companies that have demonstrated excellence in promoting bilateral economic, commercial, or technological relations between Spain and Japan.
Submit your candidacy or propose a company that exemplifies success, innovation, and collaboration across borders.
Key Dates
- Opening of Candidacy Submissions: May 20
- Deadline for Submissions:Â June 6
- Award Ceremony: November 28 (Save the date!)
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Rules & Eligibility
Legal Entity Requirement
- The nominee must be a legally registered company with an established presence in Spain or Japan.
- The company must demonstrate active business engagement with the counterpart country.
Contribution to Bilateral Business Relations
The company must have significantly contributed to strengthening Spain–Japan business ties through one or more of the following:
- Trade, investment, or supply chain integration
- Bilateral partnerships or joint projects
- Innovation, research and development, or market expansion
- Job creation, skills development, or talent training
- Promotion of Spain–Japan branding, culture, or values in a business context
Track Record
The company must have operated for at least three consecutive years in its market.