Japanese companies are experiencing long-lasting damage after a recent wave of ransomware attacks that disrupted operations across manufacturing, retail, and logistics. Instead of recovering within days, many firms are dealing with problems that have stretched into weeks and months, showing how severe and persistent these attacks have become. Experts now say this long recovery period is increasingly common in large-scale cyber incidents.
One of the biggest cases involved Asahi Group Holdings, a major beverage company in Japan. Hackers broke into its network, encrypted key systems, and forced the company to shut down servers to prevent the attack from spreading. This sudden shutdown affected several parts of its business and caused delays in essential processes that normally run around the clock.
Asahi’s production, order management, and shipping systems were heavily impacted by the incident. Some of its breweries were unable to function digitally and had to switch to manual operations, including taking orders through phone and fax. Because of this, stores and restaurants across Japan reported shortages, and several popular Asahi beverages became difficult to find.
Later, the company announced that personal data belonging to customers, employees, and external contacts might have been exposed during the attack. Nearly 1.9 million people were potentially affected. Asahi also confirmed that the damage was limited to its Japan-based systems. Investigations continue as the company works to understand the full extent of the breach.
The ransomware attack hit Asahi’s financial reporting as well. The company was forced to delay its 2025 financial results because internal systems were still being restored. Engineers and security teams are rebuilding the network step by step, highlighting how deeply ransomware can disrupt business operations and corporate planning.
Another major attack occurred at Askul Corporation, a leading e-commerce and logistics provider in Japan. Askul had to suspend orders and pause shipping activities after its systems were compromised. This created immediate inconvenience for thousands of customers who depend on Askul’s fast delivery services.
Because Askul manages logistics for many brands, its outage created a ripple effect. Muji, one of Japan’s most popular retail companies, had to temporarily stop its domestic online shopping services. Even though Muji itself was not attacked, its operations were halted because its delivery partner could not function. This showed how a single ransomware attack can disrupt multiple companies at once.
Cybersecurity experts now describe these incidents as examples of ransomware causing a “long tail” of damage. Companies must not only restore their systems but also check for data leaks, strengthen security, and rebuild trust with customers and partners. When supply-chain firms are targeted, the impact spreads even further, affecting businesses that were never directly attacked. These events reveal how ransomware has become a major threat that can disrupt entire industries for months.
Stay alert, and keep your security measures updated!
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