Ransomware attack on Askul disrupts Japanese retailers Muji and Loft
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Japanese e-commerce and logistics company Askul Corporation was hit by a ransomware attack that has crippled its operations and forced multiple major retail brands to suspend their online services. The cyberattack began on the morning of October 19, 2025, and caused widespread disruption across Japan's retail sector.
The ransomware attack forced immediate shutdown of all three of the company's e-commerce platforms: "ASKUL" for office supplies targeting business customers, "LOHACO" for household sundries serving individual consumers, and "Soloel Arena" for corporate purchasing. The company had tocancel all orders that were pending dispatch at the time of the attack.
The attack impacted multiple brands. Ryohin Keikaku, the operator of the popular Muji retail chain, suspended its entire domestic online shopping service at 9:00 PM on Sunday, October 19. Muji outsources deliveries of some items to an Askul subsidiary. That left the retailer with no choice but to halt e-commerce operations. Similarly, The Loft Company reported that its website has been rendered non-operational due to the logistics disruption caused by the Askul attack.
The types of exposed data and number of affected individuals is not disclosed.
In its statement issued on Sunday 19th of October, Askul apologized to affected parties, stating: "We sincerely apologize for the significant inconvenience and concern this incident has caused to our customers and all other stakeholders." The company is working to restore the system as quickly as possible but has not provided a timeline for recovery.
Update - As of 30th of October, the RansomHouse gang claimed responsibility for the breach and allege they have stolen large volume of data.
As of 13th of December 2025, Askul reports that the attack compromised approximately 740,000 customer and employee data records. The company has reported the breach to authorities, contacted affected parties, and removed or reinstalled systems on infected devices.
