53 companies in Japan hit by Qilin ransomware group: police agency
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A total of 53 companies in Japan have been targeted by an internationally active ransomware group known as Qilin, National Police Age
A total of 53 Japanese companies have been targeted by the ransomware group Qilin, according to officials from the National Police Agency. Qilin is believed to have been behind a 2025 cyberattack on Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. The group, which began operating in October 2022, has attacked approximately 4,000 companies worldwide, with incidents confirmed in Japan since April 2023.
The victims, spanning various sectors including manufacturing, services, construction, hospitals, and schools, remain unnamed. Ransomware attacks involve hackers blocking access to data and demanding payment for its release. The 28-year-old Russian man suspected of being a key member of Qilin was detained by German authorities following a request from Germany.
He allegedly extorted crypto assets from a German logistics firm in 2024. In response to data breaches and cyberattacks, the Japanese government has urged businesses to address system vulnerabilities and prevent misuse of leaked information. Recent breaches include one affecting Times Car's 6.6 million accounts and cyberattacks against Daiwa Securities Group Inc. and Yakiniku King.
Lawson Inc. also recently announced a data breach, exposing personal information of around 2.16 million IDs. Additionally, karaoke venue operator Daiichikosho Co. reported that 8.72 million customer and employee records may have been compromised.
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