Askul ransomware attack halts Muji and Loft online orders in Japan

On 19 October 2025, Askul, a major Japanese seller of office supplies and business goods, said it had been hit by a ransomware attack, a type of malware that locks systems and demands payment. The company detected a fault in its systems and suspended order intake and shipping across its services.

The disruption spread well beyond Askul's own shops. Askul handles online ordering and logistics for other retailers, so the online stores of Muji, the household goods brand, and Loft, a lifestyle and stationery chain, also stopped accepting orders and delivering goods. Other business customers that rely on its distribution network were affected too.

The incident mattered because it showed how a single logistics provider can become a point of failure for several well-known consumer brands. It also raised concerns about the possible exposure of customer and business data, and it became one of several high-profile cyber incidents hitting Japanese companies in autumn 2025. Later reports on further breaches at other retailers, including Nitori, were read against this case.