Japan records unprecedented 123 ransomware incidents in first half of 2026
The National Police Agency reported a record 123 ransomware attacks in Japan during the first six months of 2026, with a sharp rise in suspicious access attempts.
Japan's National Police Agency disclosed that ransomware attacks surged to a record 123 cases in the first half of 2026, marking the steepest increase since data collection began in 2020. Of these, 79 involved small and medium-sized enterprises, 31 hit large corporations, and 13 affected other types of organizations, with manufacturing suffering the most at 37 incidents. Attackers typically exploited virtual private network devices to infiltrate systems, and recovery periods often exceeded a month.
Using a proprietary decryption utility, the agency restored more than 20.11 million files and has provided the tool to Europol for global use. Additionally, the agency noted a rise in suspicious access attempts, averaging 13,687 per IP daily, and issued over 50,000 warnings about illicit online job recruitment.
Why it matters
The surge highlights growing cyber threats to Japanese businesses and the need for stronger digital defenses.
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