Japan tightens cyber warnings after data leaks hit millions of customers
Japan's National Cybersecurity Office has told ministries, local authorities and companies to strengthen cyber defences, including updating security software, using strong passwords and tightening supply-chain security. More than 20 major Japanese companies have disclosed attacks in recent weeks: an attack on car-sharing service Times Car leaked data from about 6.6 million member accounts including driving-licence images, rail operator JR East lost 1.67 million customer email addresses, and Lawson, Daiwa Securities and Bookoff also reported customer data leaks. Digital Transformation Minister Toshiharu Furukawa said the attacks are getting increasingly sophisticated, and the ruling LDP's cybersecurity strategy chief Masaaki Taira called it a "state of emergency in cyber space"; police logged a record 123 ransomware incidents in the first half of 2026.
The report notes LLMs are sharply lowering the cost of skilled hackers while AI makes vulnerabilities more complex, so defenders need to upgrade at the same pace.
Japan’s government has told ministries, local authorities and companies to step up their cyber defences. A wave of attacks has exposed the data of millions of customers. The National Cybersecurity Office sent the instructions on Friday, the Associated Press reported.
“The attacks are getting increasingly sophisticated,” Digital Transformation Minister Toshiharu Furukawa said this week.
The same day, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party held an emergency meeting of its cybersecurity strategy headquarters. Its head, Masaaki Taira, said Japan was in “a state of emergency in cyber space”, the Financial Times reported. More than 20 major Japanese companies have disclosed attacks in recent weeks, according to the FT.
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