[Update 2] Report on Unauthorized Access to Group Managed Server and Potential Data Leak

The Japan Times, Ltd. and News2u Holdings, Inc. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter “our Group“) hereby provide an update on the progress of the investigation and monitoring being conducted in cooperation with external specialized organizations regarding the unauthorized access to our Group managed server, originally announced by The Japan Times, Ltd. on October 2, 2026. On September 18, 2026, we confirmed that a server managed by our Group was subjected to a cyberattack using ransomware. Subsequently, on October 15, we confirmed that data claimed by the attacker to have been exfiltrated from our Group was published on an external website.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the affected server was an administrative file server utilized by our Group until August 2022. The published data may include HR-related information and business partner information of our Group covering the period from 2001 to August 2022. Please note that this server does not contain any data from August 2022 onward.

Furthermore, digital services operated by The Japan Times, Ltd., including “The Japan Times Online,” subscriber databases, and payment systems, are operated on independent infrastructure. Immediately upon discovery, our Group implemented emergency measures, including isolating the affected server. Currently, with the support of multiple external specialized organizations, we are cross-referencing the published data while continuing security measures such as log monitoring.

The specific content and scope of the information included in the published data have not yet been fully identified. In addition, we continue to provide preliminary and ongoing reports in accordance with relevant laws and regulations to the Personal Information Protection Commission, the police department with jurisdiction, and other relevant authorities. As the facts are clarified through our ongoing investigation, we will individually contact business partners and individuals whose information is confirmed to be contained in the published data.

For those whose contact information cannot be verified, inquiries will be handled through the contact point below. Should you receive any suspicious emails or communications pretending to be from our Group or related parties, please refrain from accessing any embedded URLs or opening any attached files. We sincerely apologize for the considerable concern and inconvenience this incident may cause to all stakeholders.

If you have any concerns or questions regarding this matter, please contact us at the address below. Dedicated Support Desk The press release may be downloaded in PDF format