Japan faces Asahi products shortage after cyber attack

Saturday, October 4, 2025 - Japanese brewing giant Asahi Group Holdings has been hit by a crippling cyberattack that has forced the suspension of shipments from its breweries, sparking fears of supply shortages across the country

The company, best known for producing Japan’s leading beer brand, Asahi Super Dry, first disclosed the incident on Monday, announcing that a “system failure” linked to a cyberattack had disrupted its domestic operations. The breach has prevented Asahi from processing orders and halted deliveries of its popular beer and other beverages.

A company spokesperson, speaking to AFP on Friday, October 3, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the situation remains unresolved. “No immediate recovery of our system is in sight at the moment. Ordinary shipments remain halted,” the spokesperson said.

While the production lines themselves have not been directly impacted by the cyberattack, brewing activities have been brought to a standstill since products cannot be shipped out. Industry insiders say Asahi is investigating the possibility that the disruption is the result of a ransomware attack, though the company has not provided further details.

The disruption has raised concerns for Japan’s convenience store chains, which are among the largest distributors of Asahi beer nationwide. A representative of Seven & I Holdings, which operates the 7-Eleven brand, said that while stores are still managing with existing supplies, notices are being prepared to inform customers about potential shortages. “We don’t expect (Asahi drinks) to disappear from all our stores at once, although it all depends on how sales will go at each of these outlets,” the spokesperson explained.

During visits on Friday, AFP reporters noted that supermarkets and convenience stores in Tokyo continued to display Asahi Super Dry and other beverages on their shelves, but the company has warned that the situation could change quickly depending on demand and the duration of the suspension.

The financial markets have reacted sharply to the news, with Asahi’s shares dropping nearly seven percent since last Friday’s close, reflecting investor unease about the scale of the disruption.

This latest cyberattack comes just weeks after a major breach forced Jaguar Land Rover to shut down production at its UK factories for almost a month. The Indian-owned carmaker revealed on September 2 that hackers had severely disrupted its operations, requiring emergency funding to keep the company afloat. The automaker only announced on Monday that it had been able to partially resume production.

Asahi has yet to provide a timeline for when its own operations will return to normal. For now, Japan’s most iconic beer brand remains at risk of disappearing from shelves, a development that could test the resilience of both the company and the broader food and beverage sector against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.