Japan Reports 260 Million People Affected by Data Breaches Since April

The Personal Information Protection Commission of Japan has reported a significant increase in data breaches, with 260 million people affected since April. This number represents nearly twice the country’s population. The breaches are attributed to multiple incidents, including unauthorized access to personal data by businesses handling personal information. The statistics show a sharp increase in incidents, with 2,094 reported cases between April 1 and October 16. Of these, six cases resulted in the leakage of personal data exceeding 10 million people per incident. However, the data does not include incidents from the financial and telecommunications sectors, suggesting that the actual impact may be more severe than reported. The frequency of cyber attacks has increased significantly, with 830 reported incidents in the first half of October alone, compared to 303 incidents in September. Overall, there were 1,256 reported incidents in the 2025 fiscal year. Major businesses and institutions have been targeted, with several high-profile companies and organizations reporting data breaches. Sony Life Insurance, Don Quijote, Bandai Namco Entertainment, and several universities and hospitals have reported potential data breaches due to unauthorized access to their systems or websites. Additional incidents were reported from leading companies, including Ryohin Keikaku, Matsuya Foods Holdings, and All Nippon Airways, on October 30. The Japanese government has prioritized the situation and is preparing emergency measures to address the cyber security crisis.