TOKYO –
GMO has introduced a reward totaling roughly 150 million yen for info resulting in the identification of hackers liable for a cyberattack on its methods, whereas additionally pledging compensation to clients whose private info has been uncovered, as Japan faces a rising wave of cyberattacks concentrating on main corporations.
The hacking group believed to be behind the unauthorized entry has threatened to launch private info belonging to clients who used GMO’s servers until the corporate pays a ransom.
In response, GMO mentioned it will supply a complete reward of roughly 150 million yen for info that would assist establish these accountable. A devoted reporting channel will open at midday on October 28 to obtain info associated to the assault.
The firm additionally introduced that it will make particular compensation funds to clients whose private info has been confirmed to have been publicly disclosed.
Compensation will fluctuate relying on the sensitivity of the data uncovered. Customers whose names, contact particulars or comparable private info have been disclosed will obtain 10,000 yen, whereas these whose account IDs, passwords or different account credentials have been uncovered will obtain 15,000 yen.
The announcement comes as Japanese corporations confront an rising variety of cyberattacks involving the theft of private info, disruption of enterprise operations and calls for for ransom funds.
One of the newest main incidents concerned parking and car-sharing operator Park24, which disclosed unauthorized entry to methods operated by its Times Car service in September 2026. The breach affected roughly 6.62 million buyer accounts, with investigators figuring out proof that encrypted photographs of identification paperwork, together with driver’s licenses, belonging to about 1.46 million customers had been transferred exterior the corporate.
On October 23, Park24 introduced that affected clients would obtain compensation value 3,000 yen in money or present playing cards. The firm expects to report a rare lack of roughly 5.5 billion yen, together with compensation and different bills associated to the incident.
Japan’s insurance coverage trade has additionally been affected. In June 2026, Aflac Life Insurance Japan disclosed unauthorized entry to methods containing private info related to roughly 4.38 million policyholders. The uncovered info included names, addresses and phone numbers, prompting an investigation and measures to guard clients.
In July 2026, frozen-food producer and logistics operator Nichirei suffered a cyberattack that disrupted refrigerated warehouse operations and shipments of frozen-food merchandise. The disruption affected deliveries to eating places, supermarkets and college lunch applications. A hacking group calling itself RansomHouse subsequently claimed accountability, though Nichirei had not confirmed the group’s involvement.
The assaults adopted two notably damaging incidents in 2025 involving main Japanese companies.
In September 2025, Asahi Group Holdings, one in all Japan’s largest beverage producers, was struck by a ransomware assault that disrupted manufacturing, ordering and distribution methods. The firm quickly suspended operations at its six home beer factories earlier than regularly restoring manufacturing.
A ransomware group generally known as Qilin claimed accountability and mentioned it had stolen hundreds of inner recordsdata. Asahi subsequently confirmed that some firm info had been stolen and investigated the doable publicity of private info. The incident demonstrated how a cyberattack may disrupt not solely laptop methods but additionally manufacturing and distribution throughout a serious client items enterprise.
In October 2025, on-line workplace provides retailer Askul was hit by a ransomware assault that compelled it to droop orders and shipments by its Askul and Lohaco buying companies. The disruption prolonged to different retailers, together with Muji and Loft, whose on-line operations relied on Askul’s logistics community. Recovery took a number of months, with Askul restoring gross sales of all merchandise in January 2026.
An earlier high-profile incident concerned publishing and leisure group Kadokawa, which suffered a serious ransomware assault in June 2024. The assault disabled its fashionable Niconico video-sharing service and disrupted publishing and different enterprise operations.
Kadokawa later confirmed the publicity of private info belonging to 254,241 folks, together with staff, enterprise companions and people related to instructional establishments operated by the group. The assault illustrated the potential for stolen company info to be distributed publicly after hackers achieve entry to inner networks.
The rising frequency and scale of such incidents have raised issues in regards to the vulnerability of Japan’s company info methods. By October 20, 2026, Japan had recorded 723 cybersecurity incidents, already exceeding the annual totals reported for each 2024 and 2025.
Cybersecurity specialists have warned that attackers are more and more exploiting weaknesses in company networks and utilizing automated instruments to establish susceptible methods. Some teams use ransomware to encrypt knowledge and interrupt operations, whereas others steal delicate info and threaten to launch it until cost is made.
For corporations dealing with massive volumes of buyer info, the implications can prolong past quick system repairs to incorporate compensation funds, authorized liabilities, misplaced enterprise and injury to public confidence.
GMO’s choice to supply a reward of roughly 150 million yen represents a very aggressive try and establish these behind a company cyberattack. Combined with its compensation scheme for affected clients, the transfer displays mounting strain on Japanese corporations to reply extra decisively to knowledge breaches as cybercriminals more and more goal each delicate info and important enterprise operations.
Source: TBS