On April 13, textile manufacturer Omi Kenshi (大阪市／東証スタンダード上場) announced it would postpone its earnings report for the fiscal year ending March 2026. The reason: a March サイバー攻撃 (saibā kōgeki, cyberattack) that shut down its core systems.
The company had originally planned to release its financial results on May 13. The new announcement date will be decided based on the progress of システム復旧 (shisutemu fukkyū, system recovery).
What Happened?
According to the company’s disclosure, late at night on March 16, it 受けた (uketa, received/was subjected to) 不正アクセス (fusei akusesu, unauthorized access) from an external third party. As a result, its core systems stopped functioning, and files stored on its サーバ (sāba, server) were encrypted.
After detecting the attack, the company immediately disconnected its internal ネットワーク (nettowāku, network) and internet lines. With the help of outside experts, it investigated the incident and concluded that there is a high possibility it was a ランサムウェア (ransamuwea, ransomware) attack.
Investigators believe there is a high possibility the attackers entered via a VPN (bui-pī-en, Virtual Private Network). The company also confirmed that some data was transmitted externally from certain servers.
Was Any Information Leaked?
The company stated that employee information, such as names stored on the servers, may have been leaked. However, it said there is a low possibility that highly sensitive information was included. Importantly, customer personal information was not included in the affected data.
As of now, the company has not confirmed any unauthorized use of the potentially leaked information.
Omi Kenshi set up a company-wide response team immediately after detecting the unauthorized access and reported the incident to the police. Recovery efforts are currently underway.
The impact on business performance is still being examined. If disclosure becomes necessary, the company says it will promptly announce further details.
Cultural Context: Corporate Responsibility in Japan
In Japan, publicly listed companies are expected to quickly disclose major incidents that could affect investors. The mention of 適時開示 (tekiji kaiji, timely disclosure) reflects Japan’s strict financial reporting culture.
Delaying a 決算発表 (kessan happyō, earnings announcement) is significant. Financial statements are closely watched by shareholders, analysts, and business partners. Transparency and formal apologies are common in Japanese corporate culture when disruptions occur.
Cybersecurity has become an increasing concern in Japan, especially as companies rely heavily on interconnected systems and VPN access for remote work.
Learn Japanese from This Article
Cybersecurity news in Japan is filled with katakana loanwords. Mastering these terms will dramatically improve your reading skills.
Key Vocabulary
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| サイバー攻撃 | saibā kōgeki | cyberattack |
| ランサムウェア | ransamuwea | ransomware |
| VPN | bui-pī-en | Virtual Private Network |
| サーバ | sāba | server |
| システム復旧 | shisutemu fukkyū | system recovery |
| 不正アクセス | fusei akusesu | unauthorized access |
| ネットワーク | nettowāku | network |
| 決算発表 | kessan happyō | earnings announcement |
Notice how many of these words are written in katakana, the script used for foreign loanwords.
Grammar Spotlight 1: 〜を受ける (to receive; to be subjected to)
Pattern: Noun + を受ける
This structure means “to receive” or “to be subjected to” something.
Example from the article:
- サイバー攻撃を受けた。 Saibā kōgeki o uketa. “(The company) was subjected to a cyberattack.”
More examples:
- 不正アクセスを受けました。 Fusei akusesu o ukemashita. “We were subjected to unauthorized access.”
- 支援を受ける。 Shien o ukeru. “To receive support.”
This pattern is extremely common in news Japanese.
Grammar Spotlight 2: 〜可能性が高い (there is a high possibility that…)
Pattern: Clause + 可能性が高い
Used when something is likely but not 100% confirmed.
Example:
- ランサムウェア攻撃を受けた可能性が高い。 Ransamuwea kōgeki o uketa kanōsei ga takai. “There is a high possibility it was a ransomware attack.”
Another example:
- VPN経由で侵入された可能性が高い。 Bui-pī-en keiyu de shinnyū sareta kanōsei ga takai. “There is a high possibility they entered via VPN.”
Japanese news often uses this structure to avoid making absolute claims.
Useful Expression
- 速やかに公表する Sumiyaka ni kōhyō suru “To promptly make something public”
You’ll frequently see this phrase in corporate announcements.
Continue Learning
Cybersecurity vocabulary relies heavily on katakana. Strengthen your reading skills with:
- Katakana Essentials: Adapting Global Words to Japanese — Working on your reading skills? Our Katakana Essentials: Adapting Global Words to Japanese lesson is a great next step.
- Reading and Writing in Japanese II: Hiragana and Katakana — Want to learn more about tech? Check out our lesson on Reading and Writing in Japanese II: Hiragana and Katakana.
- Basic Vocabulary Building: Embracing Words Without Latin Ties — Ready to dive deeper? Our lesson on Basic Vocabulary Building: Embracing Words Without Latin Ties will help you master these concepts.
Cybersecurity news may feel technical at first, but once you master these core terms and grammar patterns, you’ll find yourself reading Japanese tech headlines with confidence.
これからもよろしくお願いします。 Kore kara mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.