Cyberattack disrupts Asahi beer production, prompts Japan-wide shortages

A significant cyberattack on Japan's Asahi Group has caused a major disruption in its domestic operations, halting order processing, shipping, and call center functions across most of its 30 Japanese factories. This has led to shortages of Asahi's flagship products, including Asahi Super Dry beer, Nikka Whisky, and other beverages, affecting restaurants, convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart, and consumers nationwide. Asahi has been manually processing some orders but has suspended new orders for alcoholic beverages to prioritize outgoing shipments, with no clear timeline for system recovery. The attack, suspected to be ransomware, penetrated deeply into Asahi's logistics system, highlighting vulnerabilities in Japan's supply chain and cyber defenses. The incident has caused Asahi's shares to drop significantly, reflecting investor concerns over the prolonged disruption. Authorities are investigating the breach, which adds to a growing list of cyberattacks on global companies, underscoring the increasing threat of digital attacks on critical supply chains.