Only four bottles of Asahi Super Dry beer remain on the shelves of Ben Thai, a small restaurant in Tokyo’s quiet Sengawacho suburb. Its owner, Sakaolath Sugizaki, says her supplier is struggling to restock, prioritizing deliveries to larger clients instead.
The shortage follows a major cyber-attack that forced Asahi Group Holdings, Japan’s largest beer producer, to halt production at most of its 30 domestic factories late last month. Though operations have partially resumed, the company’s computer systems remain down, forcing staff to process orders manually with pen, paper, and fax machines.
The disruption has drastically slowed deliveries and caused supply shortages across Japan.
Widespread Impact on Businesses
Asahi controls about 40 percent of Japan’s beer market, so the production halt has rippled through bars, restaurants, and retailers. Convenience stores and supermarkets from Tokyo to Hokkaido report empty shelves, while smaller outlets are struggling to keep up with customer demand.
Liquor store owner Hisako Arisawa says she now receives only a few bottles of Super Dry at a time and fears the shortages could last another month. The supply crunch extends beyond beer to Asahi’s soft drinks, including soda water and ginger beer.
Major convenience store chains have also warned of shortfalls. FamilyMart said its bottled teas made by Asahi would be in short supply or out of stock, while 7-Eleven suspended shipments of Asahi products altogether. Lawson also expects continued shortages.
Wholesalers say shipments have resumed at only 10 to 20 percent of normal levels, with all orders now written by hand and processed via fax, a sharp contrast to Japan’s reputation for technological efficiency.
Cyber-Attack Disrupts Operations
The ransomware group Qilin has claimed responsibility for the cyber-attack. It is known for targeting large organizations worldwide and running a platform that facilitates such attacks for profit.
Asahi has not disclosed full details of the breach but confirmed that data suspected to have been stolen has appeared online. The attack disrupted not only beer production but also the company’s other food and beverage operations.
While Asahi’s European brands, including Peroni, Grolsch, and Fuller’s remain unaffected, the incident highlights rising concerns about cybersecurity weaknesses among Japanese corporations.
Broader Concerns About Japan’s Cybersecurity
Japan has faced a string of cyber-attacks in recent years. A ransomware incident in 2024 crippled operations at the Nagoya container terminal for three days, and Japan Airlines suffered flight delays and cancellations after being hacked last December.
Experts warn that Japan’s reliance on outdated systems makes it particularly vulnerable. “Japan is exposed to cyber-attacks due to its dependence on legacy technology and its culture of trust,” said Cartan McLaughlin from Nihon Cyber Defence Group.
Although the government recently passed a new Active Cyber Defense Law, which allows authorities to share information with companies and launch countermeasures against attackers, many businesses remain poorly prepared.
A Long Road to Recovery
The government has launched an investigation into the Asahi breach. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the incident underscores the need to strengthen Japan’s cyber defenses.
For small business owners like Sakaolath, however, new laws offer little comfort. “I just hope I can get more Super Dry soon,” she said. “My customers keep asking for it, but right now there’s not much I can do.”
Asahi has apologized for the disruption but has not provided a timeline for full recovery, leaving Japan’s favorite beer in short supply and its brewers facing the costly fallout of a digital breakdown.
