When Japan’s largest brewer, Asahi Group Holdings, was forced to halt production nationwide after a ransomware attack, the disruption went beyond beer — it exposed a critical weakness in corporate cyber readiness
In CNN International’s breaking report, “Hack on Japan’s biggest brewer renews concerns over cyberattack readiness,” Masaki Hiraoka, Blackpanda’s Managing Director for North East Asia, shared expert insight on what this means for business leaders across Japan and the region.
“No company can be completely immune to cyber threats,” Hiraoka told CNN. “The priority should be not only on preventing breaches, but also on responding and recovering effectively when they occur.”
A crisis that transcends one company
The ransomware group Qilin has claimed responsibility for the attack, which paralyzed Asahi’s operations across more than 30 factories, froze shipments, and caused nationwide product shortages.
For many in Japan’s corporate sector, this incident is a wake-up call — proof that even world-class enterprises can be crippled without a tested, ready-to-deploy incident response plan.
Why this matters now
For business leaders
Cyberattacks today are operational and reputational crises, not IT issues. What determines survival is speed — how fast your organisation can detect, respond, and recover. Talk to our team →
For partners and distributors
Blackpanda’s CNN feature highlights the market demand for regional-first rapid response. Partners integrating Blackpanda’s IR-1 emergency subscription and A2I (Assurance to Insurance) pathway are positioned to deliver end-to-end cyber resilience to their clients. Become a partner today →
For the wider ecosystem
Japan’s government has pledged to strengthen cybersecurity laws and national defence capabilities, but as Hiraoka notes, policy must be matched with readiness — through tabletop exercises, pre-contracted response partners, and cross-functional training before a breach occurs. Explore case studies →
From crisis to readiness
At Blackpanda, we believe every organisation — from global enterprises to local SMEs — deserves immediate, expert-led digital emergency support when the worst happens.
Our mission is simple: To bring complete cyber peace of mind to every organisation in Asia — from the first moment of breach through full recovery and beyond.
ABOUT BLACKPANDA
Blackpanda is a Lloyd’s of London–accredited insurance coverholder and Asia’s leading local cyber incident response firm, delivering end-to-end digital emergency support across the region.
We are pioneering the A2I (Assurance-to-Insurance) model in cybersecurity — uniting preparation, response, and insurance into a seamless pathway that minimises financial and operational impact from cyber attack.
Through expert consulting services, response assurance subscriptions, and innovative cyber insurance, we help organisations get ready, respond, and recover from cyber attacks — all delivered by local specialists working in concert.
Our mission is clear: to bring complete cyber peace of mind to every organisation in Asia, from the first moment of breach through full recovery and beyond.
