On October 19, 2025, Japanese e-commerce giant ASKUL made an announcement. It revealed that it had halted both order acceptance and shipping services for its products. This move was prompted by system malfunctions stemming from a ransomware attack. The root of the problem lay in a computer ransomware virus that had infiltrated the company's system.

The disruptions had a far - reaching impact, affecting two key online shopping platforms. One is the 'ASKUL' platform, which caters to corporate clients for office supplies, and the other is the 'LOHACO' platform, designed for personal online shopping. At present, ASKUL is in the process of evaluating the potential risk of data leakage. While it has not detected any customer information being compromised so far, it has taken the precautionary step of canceling previously accepted orders.

In the wake of this incident, Ryohin Keikaku, the parent company of the well - known brand MUJI, decided to suspend the operations of its online store on the same evening.