Utility Activation: Electricity, Gas, Water
Utility activation Japan apartment means filing three separate start notices for electricity, gas, and water, then completing day-of steps at the unit.123 The gas safety visit is the bottleneck, so book it first or move-in day can pass with no hot water or cooking.
Procedures, fees, and requirements can change. Confirm current details at TEPCO Energy Partner, Tokyo Gas, and the water bureau serving your address.
Overview
This guide covers move-in activation only: how to get each service running and billed in your name at a new rental address. It applies to new tenants of standard rented housing, regardless of status of residence, since every move requires a new start notice at the new address even within the same city.123
Rate-plan comparison, new-power retailer switching strategy, internet setup, and move-out closing steps sit outside this article. Those deep guides carry the full detail; here you get the activation sequence and nothing else.
Electricity: Call or Apply Online, Then Flip the Breaker
Electricity contracts attach to the address, not the person. Starting service means registering the new address with a retailer, then switching the breaker on at the panel.1
Japan liberalized residential electricity on April 1, 2016, so households can choose among registered retailers and price menus instead of only the regional monopoly. Customers who never chose stayed with their regional company as before.5 Physical supply still flows over the same regional grid in every case; the retailer handles billing and plans while the grid utility maintains the network.6
Incumbent utility or new-power retailer at move-in
The standard move-in path is to start with the regional incumbent for the address. That is TEPCO Energy Partner in Kanto, Kansai Electric Power in Kansai, and the corresponding incumbent elsewhere.517 The 新電力 (shin denryoku, "new-power retailer") market competes on rate shape and bundled value such as points or gas bundling, not on physical reliability, which stays with the grid.56
A switch to a new-power retailer is a separate application filed directly with the new retailer after service starts. When leaving TEPCO Energy Partner for another retailer, the TEPCO contract ends automatically with no separate termination call needed.1 For the switch you supply the supply-point identification number and customer number from the meter-reading slip; the new retailer handles the transfer with the incumbent and the grid operator.1
File one start notice with the regional incumbent for move-in day, then compare new-power plans at leisure once bills arrive. Combining both steps into a single form is not the documented flow.1
One exception can remove the choice entirely. An apartment under whole-building bulk electricity supply may not allow an individual retailer selection (limitation: building share unconfirmed).8
What to have ready and what happens on the day
Prepare the address, contract-holder name, desired start date, contact phone number, and either the previous occupant account reference if known or the meter Customer Number and supply-point identification number from the meter or meter-reading slip.17 TEPCO identifies each contract with a 10-digit customer number for non-regulated plans or 13-digit for regulated plans, plus a 22-digit electricity supply-point identification number for the premises.1 Registration runs by phone or online, and TEPCO offers an English inquiry form with third-party-call support.6
You may apply on the desired start date itself, but TEPCO notes supply can take 3 to 4 hours to turn on, so file as soon as the move-in date is known.1 No presence is needed for electricity turn-on in the standard case. If facility conditions require presence, the grid utility or retailer contacts you.1
At the unit, check the distribution panel and switch on in order: amp breaker if present, earth-leakage breaker, then wiring breaker.1 Smart-meter premises have no manual amp breaker because amperage is set inside the meter, so start at the earth-leakage breaker.1 In Kansai, turn all breaker-board switches to ON and confirm supply, then contact the local KEPCO office with name, address, occupancy date, and the customer number posted near the breaker or meter.7
Supply can look live at handover with the breaker ON and lights working while no account exists in your name. Registration is still required so billing reaches the right person.17 For payment, TEPCO accepts credit card, automatic bank withdrawal, paper invoice payable at banks, convenience stores, and apps, or SMS-billed payment regardless of plan, with some contract types limited to invoice.1
| Item | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity start notice | no start fee stated on procedure pages | file by phone or online1 |
| Customer number (TEPCO) | 10-digit or 13-digit per plan, plus 22-digit supply-point number | needed for later retailer switch1 |
Key terms for this section: the ブレーカー (bureka, "breaker") is the distribution-panel switch you flip at move-in; the 口座振替 (kouza furikae, "automatic bank-account debit") is the standard bill payment method; the 検針票 (kenshinhyou, "meter-reading slip") shows usage and the numbers a later switch needs.1
Gas: Book the In-Person Safety Inspection Early
Gas setup means opening a new contract for the new address plus an in-person safety visit before gas flows. Both city gas and LP gas require this visit.29
City gas vs propane in your building
The gas type is fixed by the building and area, not chosen by the tenant.10 都市ガス (toshi gasu, "city gas") is mainly methane from LNG delivered through underground pipes, while LPガス (eru-pii gasu, "propane") is propane and butane based gas delivered in cylinders by a vendor.10 LP gas is heavier than air, and propane releases roughly twice the heat per unit volume as city gas, though household appliances are rated per device so the same appliance does not burn hotter on either gas.10
Ask the agent or landlord, or check the lease paperwork, to confirm which type serves the unit.9 For LP gas units the building agent or landlord names the local vendor; Osaka Gas routes propane opening to its LP affiliate rather than handling it as city gas.9
Appliance compatibility is the expensive mistake. Gas appliances must match the supplied gas type, since a mismatch causes abnormal combustion and carbon monoxide poisoning risk.11 Every appliance carries a label plate showing its compatible gas type, so confirm it before buying or moving a stove, especially across a move.11 City gas and LP gas appliances are not interchangeable without type-specific design.11
Structurally, propane typically costs more per household than city gas because cylinder transport, labor, and logistics replace pipeline distribution.10
Booking and attending the inspection
File the start request with the gas company serving the address: Tokyo Gas in Kanto, Osaka Gas in Kansai, and the corresponding licensee elsewhere.29 Tokyo Gas accepts requests online or by phone, though the linked application form itself is Japanese only.2 Osaka Gas asks for applicant name, start address, phone number, desired start date, visit time preference, whether gas appliances are present, and payment method.9
Timing is the critical factor. Tokyo Gas recommends requesting start or stop about one week ahead, and earlier in busy periods such as March to April and month start and end (as of 2026-09-06; confirm current lead times with Tokyo Gas).2 The table below carries the same currency for every row (all as of 2026-09-06).2
| Step | Timing | As of | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Request start or stop | about 1 week ahead, earlier in peak season | 2026-09-06 | recommendation, not a guaranteed slot2 |
| Request by 7:30 a.m. | workable the same afternoon at the earliest | 2026-09-06 | earliest slot only2 |
| Request by 6 p.m. | workable the next morning at the earliest | 2026-09-06 | earliest slot only2 |
No technician visit means no gas, which means no hot water and no gas cooking. A late booking in March or April can leave you waiting days, so file the gas request the moment the move-in date firms up.2
The visit itself is short and non-negotiable. The technician performs an ignition test and explains safety rules.2 You or a representative must be present, since the worker enters the home for the check; tell Tokyo Gas the representative name and phone number in advance if you cannot attend.2 Missing the appointment leaves gas off until a new visit completes.2
Tokyo Gas visit windows run 9:00 to 12:00, 13:00 to 15:00, and 15:00 to 17:00 daily, plus 17:00 to 19:00 Monday to Saturday only (as of 2026-09-06).2 For payment, Tokyo Gas offers credit card, direct debit from a Japanese bank account, digital billing barcode, and paper billing, each set up separately after the contract starts.12
Water: Put Billing in Your Name
Tap water comes from the municipal or prefectural water bureau serving the address. Unlike electricity and gas there is no retail choice and no competing provider.48
Pre-active supply and the billing notice
Water is often already flowing at move-in because the supply line stays active between tenants. The tenant must still file a start-of-use notification, the 使用開始届 (shiyo kaishi todoke, "start-of-use notification"), to put the account in their name.8 Running water without filing can lead the bureau to stop supply, so the tap flowing is not proof of an account.8
Tokyo asks customers to contact the customer center 3 to 4 days before starting or stopping, with applications through the Tokyo Water App also accepted.3 Relocation guides recommend at least one week of buffer, and earlier in the March to April peak season.8 Channels vary by bureau: phone, fax, mail or postcard, online form or app, and office counter are all common somewhere, but small bureaus may offer counter or postcard only.84 Typically you supply name, contact details, new address, start date, and payment method; the prior customer or faucet number helps only if known.8
No on-site presence is needed for start or stop in the general case, except when paying the move-out bill on site or when staff cannot reach the meter from outside.8 Residents of buildings with a bulk water contract cannot contract individually and should check management rules and the lease first.4
Meter reading and payment methods
Ordinary Tokyo households are meter-read every 2 months and billed each time readings are taken.3 Many other municipalities follow the same bimonthly pattern, so halve any two-month slip for the monthly figure.8 Tokyo computes each bill against a fixed monthly reference date shown on the meter-reading slip.3
Payment runs through account transfer, continuous credit card payment, app payment, or a payment slip. Tokyo slips pay at financial institutions, Japan Post Bank and post offices, listed konbini chains, and smartphone payment apps.13 Setting up auto-pay takes time: about one month for credit card in Tokyo, and about one to two months for mailed bank-transfer forms in Osaka-class bureaus.134
National average water-plus-sewerage spending for households of two or more was 5,092 yen per month in 2024 (as of 2024; confirm current figures with the Statistics Bureau).14 The table below carries the same 2024 currency for every row.14
| Household | Monthly band | As of | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two-or-more-person average, water plus sewerage | 5,092 yen | 2024 | national survey14 |
| 1K to 2LDK single or couple, practical band | 1,500 to 4,000 yen | 2024 | family or garden homes run higher14 |
The billed amount always combines two parts. Sewerage charges ride on the same bill as the water charge in both Tokyo and Osaka, so the "water bill" is a two-part total.134
Activation Timeline and Order of Operations
Work backward from the key handover. Gas has the longest scheduling tail, electricity tolerates the shortest notice, and water sits between them.213
A week before to move-in day
About a week before, book the gas visit first and lock a daytime window when someone can attend.2 Then file the electricity start notice for the move-in date, even though same-day filing is possible, because supply can lag a few hours.1 Then file the water start notice with the bureau serving the new address.3
The sequence looks like this:
On move-in day, flip the breaker in order and confirm lights, attend the gas visit, then run the tap and confirm drainage and hot-water behavior.128 Keep every customer number until auto-pay is set, since the later retailer switch and payment applications all ask for them.1 Mid-month Tokyo water starts prorate daily on basic plus volumetric charges, with sewerage on a half-month rule of 15 days or fewer counting as half.3
Good to know
Gas appointment availability can force your move-in schedule
The gas visit gates everything downstream that needs heat. No hot water and no gas cooking until the technician finishes the ignition test, and the visit needs someone home.2 Tokyo Gas recommends about one week of lead time, longer in March to April and around month boundaries (as of 2026-09-06).2 If the first open slot falls after your move-in date, shift the move or plan for cold water and outside meals for the gap.
Propane can cost more than city gas and uses different appliances
Propane distribution through cylinders costs structurally more than piped city gas, so expect higher bills where the building uses LP gas.10 The sharper trap is hardware: a stove bought for city gas cannot serve a propane unit or the reverse.11 Check the appliance label plate for 12A or 13A (city gas) versus LPG (propane) before buying secondhand or hauling a stove across town.11
Electricity retailer choice at move-in vs switching later
Treat retailer choice as a second decision, not a move-in-day decision. Start with the regional incumbent so lights work on day one, then file the separate switch application with the chosen new-power retailer once bills arrive.1 The switch needs the supply-point identification number and customer number from the meter-reading slip, which only exist once the first account is live.1
Water billing continues until you file the start notice
Flowing water is not an account. Until the bureau records your start notice, usage accrues outside your name and the bureau may stop supply.8 Filing channels, English support, accepted payment apps, and meter cadence all vary by bureau, so confirm with the bureau serving the new address rather than assuming Tokyo procedures travel.84 Tokyo asks for 3 to 4 days of notice while Osaka routes through its own portal and customer center, and small bureaus may accept counter or postcard only.34
See also
- Gas in Japan: City Gas vs. Propane and the Safety Inspection
- Electricity in Japan: TEPCO and New-Power Retailers
- Setting Up Water Service in Japan
- Move-Out Procedures: Closing Utility Accounts
- Move-Out Notice: The 1-2 Month Standard
- Moving Day Logistics: Movers and the Hikkoshi Industry