Asahi Group hit by ransomware attack, disrupting Japan operations

On 29 September 2025, Asahi Group Holdings, the Tokyo-based brewer behind Asahi Super Dry, reported a system failure caused by a cyberattack. The incident hit systems in its Japanese operations, including those used to receive orders and ship products.

Asahi later said the attack involved ransomware, malicious software that encrypts data and locks companies out of their own systems. Production at domestic plants was affected, and customer service functions such as call centres were suspended while the company isolated affected systems and investigated. Retailers and restaurants reported supply concerns for some of its drinks and food products.

The incident mattered because it showed how a single attack on a major consumer-goods company could interrupt a whole supply chain, from factories to shops. It was among the most prominent cyber incidents to hit a Japanese corporation in 2025, and it added to growing concern in Japan about ransomware and the security of corporate systems and customer data.