Japan’s Askul resumes limited online sales 6 weeks after ransomware attack

Japanese office and household goods retailer Askul has partially restarted online sales for corporate customers about six weeks after a ransomware attack disrupted its ordering and logistics systems.

Askul said Wednesday that corporate customers can now purchase a limited range of products on its platform and the company plans to gradually add more items as it restores its systems. Online shopping for individuals on Askul’s Lohaco website will reopen once the company fully restores its services for corporate clients. 

Since the October attack, businesses had been forced to submit orders by fax. Askul warned that deliveries may be slower than usual while operations continue to recover, and noted that it has strengthened security measures across its systems.

The attack, claimed by the ransomware group RansomHouse, exposed contact information and inquiry details from users of Askul, Lohaco and Soloel Arena, as well as supplier data stored on internal servers. The incident disrupted supply chains for several Japanese retailers, including Ryohin Keikaku, operator of the popular Muji lifestyle brand. Muji said in November that names, addresses and phone numbers of some customers may have been leaked.

Askul said shipments for corporate partners, including Ryohin Keikaku, follow a separate recovery timeline, which has not been disclosed.

The attack on Askul is part of a broader wave of disruptive ransomware incidents hitting major Japanese firms. Brewer Asahi revealed last week that a ransomware attack earlier this year potentially exposed data belonging to roughly 1.5 million customers, as well as thousands of employees, family members and external partners. The company spent two months containing the incident and is still normalizing shipments, with some products expected to face delays into February.