Japan Faces Beer Shortage as Cyberattack Halts Asahi Super Dry Production
Japan is on the verge of running out of its most popular beer, Asahi Super Dry, after a ransomware attack forced the country’s largest brewer to shut down the majority of its domestic factories.
Asahi Group confirmed that since Monday, production at most of its 30 Japanese plants has been suspended due to a cyber incident that disabled the company’s ordering and delivery systems. The outage, now in its fourth day, has retailers and izakaya pubs bracing for shortages within days.
Retailers Brace for Empty Shelves
Convenience store giant Lawson warned that Asahi products could be out of stock as early as tomorrow. An executive at another major retailer said supermarkets may run out of Super Dry within two to three days and that the brewer’s food products could disappear from shelves within a week.
“This is having an impact on everyone,” the executive said. “When it comes to Super Dry, I think we’ll run out very soon.” While other brands like Kirin and Suntory may fill some of the demand, retailers admitted that many consumers remain fiercely loyal to Super Dry’s taste.
Asahi Silent on Shortages
Asahi, which produces an estimated 6.7 million large bottles of beer per day in Japan, declined to comment on possible shortages or stock levels. Shares in the company fell 2.6 percent on Thursday.
The brewer also confirmed it has postponed the launch of eight new products, including a fruit soda, lemon-flavoured ginger ale, and protein bars. Paper-based order and delivery systems were trialled this week, but large-scale operations remain uncertain. International production, such as in Europe where Asahi sells Peroni Nastro Azzurro, has not been affected.
Growing Cybersecurity Threats
The attack on Asahi comes amid a rising tide of ransomware incidents targeting Japanese corporations. According to Japan’s National Police Agency, ransomware cases increased 12 percent last year, with 222 reports filed in 2024. Cybersecurity experts at Nihon Cyber Defence (NCD) warn the true number is far higher, with many companies quietly paying ransoms.
In nearly half of reported cases, Japanese firms took at least a month to recover lost data. Asahi said there is no evidence that customer data was leaked.
The crisis follows a string of high-profile cyberattacks worldwide. Earlier this week, the UK government extended a £2 billion emergency credit line to Jaguar Land Rover after a ransomware strike shut its production lines for a month.
National Security Concerns
The Asahi incident is likely to intensify debate in Japan about corporate cybersecurity readiness. In May, the government passed a new law granting greater powers to counter cybercrime. Itsunori Onodera, chair of the policy research council, warned at the time that without urgent upgrades, “the lives of Japanese people will be put at risk.”
For now, Japan’s beer lovers may face an unusually dry weekend, with their go-to drink disappearing fast from shelves and taps.
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