UPDATER Forms Official Partnership with J-League's Mito HollyHock
UPDATER has signed an official partnership agreement with J-League club Mito HollyHock. This collaboration aims to promote decarbonization in the sports sector, focusing on renewable energy and regional contribution.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 30, 2026 at 22:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 30, 2026 at 13:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 30, 2026 at 14:02 (31 min after Collected)
UPDATER Corporation (Headquarters: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Eiji Oishi), a company aiming to solve social issues through business, announced that it has signed an official partnership agreement with J-League club Mito HollyHock on Wednesday, April 1st.
Through this agreement, we will explore and advance a quality-focused approach and collaboration in decarbonization initiatives within the sports sector.
To date, through its renewable energy business, our company has promoted efforts to redefine the value of electricity from a 'quality' perspective, in addition to environmental value, considering its relationship with local communities and nature. Moving forward, we will explore the potential for collaboration leveraging this perspective in the sports domain as well.
Background to the Agreement
## Global Trend of 'Sports GX'
Currently, in European football, GX (Green Transformation) is increasingly being incorporated as a crucial element of competition management. This includes the introduction of 'Sport Positive Leagues,' which rank clubs based on their environmental and social contributions (separate from match results), and making sustainability compliance a requirement for club licenses. In Japan, the J-League announced its participation in the 'Sport Positive Leagues' in April 2025*1, signaling that the value of football clubs is entering an era where, in addition to 'winning,' 'contributing to the region and environment' is more important than ever.
*1 J-League | First in Asia to participate in Sport Positive Leagues (SPL) - Promoting Sustainability Business Across the J-League - | April 2025 | https://www.jleague.jp/news/article/30781/
## Mito HollyHock: 'A Club Contributing to the Region with Electricity and Agriculture'
Mito HollyHock, which achieved its long-cherished J2 championship and J1 promotion in 2025, has developed a regional renewable energy supply model that balances agriculture and power generation. This involves utilizing approximately 2,000㎡ of abandoned farmland for solar sharing at the 'GRASS ROOTS FARM Solar Power Plant.' UPDATER participates in this initiative as a retail electricity provider*2.
The initiative to supply electricity generated from abandoned farmland to local facilities and cultivate crops beneath the panels is a regional circular economy powered by renewable energy, demonstrating the potential for football clubs to bring high social impact to their communities.
*2 Minna Denryoku | J-League Club Mito HollyHock's Challenge: Regional Revitalization x Sports x Renewable Energy GX Model Collaboration | June 2025 | https://minden.co.jp/news/2025/06/30/9919
▲GRASS ROOTS FARM Solar Power Plant
## Redefining Renewable Energy with 'Quality' and Social Implementation
UPDATER aims to procure 2 billion kWh of solar sharing-derived electricity by 2030, based on its unique blockchain technology for 'traceable electricity'*3. In recent years, while large-scale renewable energy development has sometimes created friction with natural environments and local communities, our company positions the establishment of 'Nature and Community Coexistence Type Power Plants' as its most important strategy, undertaking initiatives such as 'Coexistence Renewable Energy Project 10'*4. This collaboration with Mito HollyHock is one such effort to concretize and advance this strategy, aiming to enhance corporate value by redefining the value of renewable energy from a 'quality' perspective and offering it to society.
*3 Minna Denryoku | UPDATER Launches 'Solar Sharing Power Plant Designated Special Contract Plan' Exclusively for Corporations in Tokyo | December 2025 | https://minden.co.jp/news/article/30781/
*4 Minna Denryoku | UPDATER to Launch New Project to Create 10 Nature and Community Coexistence Type Power Plants by FY2028 | September 2025 | https://minden.co.jp/news/2025/09/30/10092
Official Partnership Agreement Overview
- Start Date: April 1, 2026
- Agreement Type: Gold Partner Agreement (Official Partner)
- Contracting Parties: Football Club Mito HollyHock Co., Ltd. × UPDATER Corporation
- Services Provided: SX Support Service 'SustenaAssist'
- Collaboration Area: Decarbonization initiatives in the sports sector
Comments from Each Company
Eiji Oishi, Representative Director, UPDATER Corporation
Congratulations to Mito HollyHock on their promotion to J1. Their challenge to a big goal and the strong will with which they achieved it gave us great courage.
A football club is not just a sports team, but a source of regional pride and an entity that encourages people in their daily lives. The activities that Mito HollyHock has undertaken so far, such as agriculture and renewable energy, embody this spirit of sports (and community contribution).
Through this agreement, we will explore and advance a quality-focused approach and collaboration in decarbonization initiatives within the sports sector.
To date, through its renewable energy business, our company has promoted efforts to redefine the value of electricity from a 'quality' perspective, in addition to environmental value, considering its relationship with local communities and nature. Moving forward, we will explore the potential for collaboration leveraging this perspective in the sports domain as well.
Background to the Agreement
## Global Trend of 'Sports GX'
Currently, in European football, GX (Green Transformation) is increasingly being incorporated as a crucial element of competition management. This includes the introduction of 'Sport Positive Leagues,' which rank clubs based on their environmental and social contributions (separate from match results), and making sustainability compliance a requirement for club licenses. In Japan, the J-League announced its participation in the 'Sport Positive Leagues' in April 2025*1, signaling that the value of football clubs is entering an era where, in addition to 'winning,' 'contributing to the region and environment' is more important than ever.
*1 J-League | First in Asia to participate in Sport Positive Leagues (SPL) - Promoting Sustainability Business Across the J-League - | April 2025 | https://www.jleague.jp/news/article/30781/
## Mito HollyHock: 'A Club Contributing to the Region with Electricity and Agriculture'
Mito HollyHock, which achieved its long-cherished J2 championship and J1 promotion in 2025, has developed a regional renewable energy supply model that balances agriculture and power generation. This involves utilizing approximately 2,000㎡ of abandoned farmland for solar sharing at the 'GRASS ROOTS FARM Solar Power Plant.' UPDATER participates in this initiative as a retail electricity provider*2.
The initiative to supply electricity generated from abandoned farmland to local facilities and cultivate crops beneath the panels is a regional circular economy powered by renewable energy, demonstrating the potential for football clubs to bring high social impact to their communities.
*2 Minna Denryoku | J-League Club Mito HollyHock's Challenge: Regional Revitalization x Sports x Renewable Energy GX Model Collaboration | June 2025 | https://minden.co.jp/news/2025/06/30/9919
▲GRASS ROOTS FARM Solar Power Plant
## Redefining Renewable Energy with 'Quality' and Social Implementation
UPDATER aims to procure 2 billion kWh of solar sharing-derived electricity by 2030, based on its unique blockchain technology for 'traceable electricity'*3. In recent years, while large-scale renewable energy development has sometimes created friction with natural environments and local communities, our company positions the establishment of 'Nature and Community Coexistence Type Power Plants' as its most important strategy, undertaking initiatives such as 'Coexistence Renewable Energy Project 10'*4. This collaboration with Mito HollyHock is one such effort to concretize and advance this strategy, aiming to enhance corporate value by redefining the value of renewable energy from a 'quality' perspective and offering it to society.
*3 Minna Denryoku | UPDATER Launches 'Solar Sharing Power Plant Designated Special Contract Plan' Exclusively for Corporations in Tokyo | December 2025 | https://minden.co.jp/news/article/30781/
*4 Minna Denryoku | UPDATER to Launch New Project to Create 10 Nature and Community Coexistence Type Power Plants by FY2028 | September 2025 | https://minden.co.jp/news/2025/09/30/10092
Official Partnership Agreement Overview
- Start Date: April 1, 2026
- Agreement Type: Gold Partner Agreement (Official Partner)
- Contracting Parties: Football Club Mito HollyHock Co., Ltd. × UPDATER Corporation
- Services Provided: SX Support Service 'SustenaAssist'
- Collaboration Area: Decarbonization initiatives in the sports sector
Comments from Each Company
Eiji Oishi, Representative Director, UPDATER Corporation
Congratulations to Mito HollyHock on their promotion to J1. Their challenge to a big goal and the strong will with which they achieved it gave us great courage.
A football club is not just a sports team, but a source of regional pride and an entity that encourages people in their daily lives. The activities that Mito HollyHock has undertaken so far, such as agriculture and renewable energy, embody this spirit of sports (and community contribution).