YUICHI YAMAZAKI/AFP via Getty Images
If you’ve spent time in Japan (or are simply familiar with its drinking culture), you probably know many people in the country really like their booze. However, they may have some trouble getting their hands on its most popular beer after the brewery that produces it was hit by a brutal cyberattack.
Japan is in the middle of the pack when it comes to the countries that consume the most alcohol on an annual basis (Eastern Europeans firmly lead the field on that front). However, if you walk around a major city late at night, you’ll almost certainly come across more than a few people in suits passed out in public thanks in no small part to the booze-fueled “nomikai” gatherings ingrained in its fairly infamous workplace culture.
Sake might be the first drink that springs to mind when you think of Japan, but it actually takes the bronze medal when it comes to its most popular type of alcoholic beverage. Shochu, a distilled liquor that tends to clock in at around 25% ABV, takes the silver, while beer has historically reigned supreme.
Sapporo is the best-selling Japanese beer in America, but Asahi (specifically the brewery’s “Super Dry” lager) reigns supreme in the Land of the Rising Sun. However, its many acolytes are staring down a shortage that could take a while to address.
Asahi beer is becoming increasingly scarce in Japan due to a cyberattack
Asahi has a history stretching back to the end of the 19th century, and the brewery boasts an approximately 37% share of Japan’s beer market. It can largely credit its status as the country’s biggest producer to the sale of Asahi Super Dry, the German-inspired lager that debuted in 1987.
According to the BBC, the company suffered a major setback on Monday after it was targeted in a cyberattack that forced it to stop brewing beer after the systems it uses to process orders, organize shipping, and receive emails were all knocked offline.
On Friday, the Asahi Group shared a press release where it acknowledged what was positioned as a ransomware attack that involved “a potential unauthorized transfer of data.” It noted it is “unable to provide a clear timeline for recovery at this time,” which is not great news for consumers who have already been warned about a looming shortage of Asahi and other beverages the company produces (including Famimaru bottled teas).
A number of major retailers, including 7-Eleven and FamilyMart, have told customers their supplies are already running low, and it seems like they have the potential to be exhausted entirely in the coming days.
Bummer.