In brief
From April to mid‑October, Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission logged 2,094 data‑breach incidents that compromised the personal information of about 260 million people – more than twice the nation’s population. The spike in October saw 830 incidents in the first half alone, and the government has pledged emergency countermeasures amid a wave of leaks from major firms such as Sony Life Insurance and Kyushu University.
Tokyo, Japan – Personal information belonging to roughly 260 million people was compromised between the start of the fiscal year in April and mid‑October, according to data released by the Personal Information Protection Commission.
The figure comes from 2,094 reported incidents of unauthorized access to personal data lodged by businesses that handle such information, excluding financial and telecommunications firms. Many individuals were counted more than once because they were affected by multiple breaches.
Only six incidents involved more than 10 million people each. The number of breaches surged in October, with 830 reported in the first half of the month compared to 303 in all of September.
Among the companies that have warned of possible leaks are Sony Life Insurance Co., discount retailer Don Quijote, video‑game publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., Kyushu University and its affiliated hospital, Muji brand operator Ryohin Keikaku Co., restaurant chain operator Matsuya Foods Holdings Co., and All Nippon Airways Co.
In fiscal 2025, a total of 1,256 incidents were reported for the entire year, according to Kyodo News, underscoring the steady rise in data‑breach events.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a press conference:
The number of large‑scale leaks is increasing rapidly, and the government is taking the situation very seriously.He added that an emergency countermeasure package would be compiled quickly.
With 260 million people affected – roughly twice Japan’s population – the breach scale highlights the need for tighter security measures and heightened vigilance from both businesses and regulators.
