Tokyo (AFP) – Japanese beer giant Asahi said Thursday it has delayed the release of full-year financial results due to a major ongoing cyberattack that began in late September.
“While the Company is making every effort to restore the system as quickly as possible, it has decided to postpone the announcement of financial results for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025,” Asahi said in a statement.
“Regarding product supply, shipments are resuming in stages as system recovery progresses. We apologize for the continued inconvenience and appreciate your understanding,” said CEO Atsushi Katsuki.
The maker of Asahi Super Dry, one of Japan’s most popular beers, said on September 29 that it was hit by a ransomware attack, becoming the latest high-profile global company to be targeted. A ransomware attack is when online actors use malicious software to lock or encrypt a victim’s systems and then demand payment for restoring their functions.
The company has not disclosed the identity or the demands of the attacker. But hacker group Qilin, believed to be based in Russia, issued a statement that Japanese media interpreted as a claim of responsibility.
Other global brands have also recently experienced similar attacks. Indian-owned Jaguar Land Rover was forced to seek emergency funding after a damaging cyberattack halted operations at its UK factories. Japanese retailer Muji said in October that it had stopped its domestic online shopping service after a ransomware attack on delivery partner Askul.
A survey released in June has found that a third of Japanese businesses have experienced cyberattacks of some sort.
© 2024 AFP
