TOKYO — Japan Airlines announced on Thursday that it was targeted by a cyberattack, which resulted in delays for over 20 domestic flights. The airline confirmed that it successfully mitigated the threat and restored its systems within a matter of hours, reassuring passengers that flight safety was not compromised during the incident.
The cyber disruptions began early on Thursday when there were issues with the airline’s network linking their internal and external systems. Japan Airlines identified the disruption as a deliberate attack designed to overload their network with excessive amounts of data. These types of attacks, known as denial-of-service attacks, can cause a network or system to become unresponsive or even crash due to a flood of traffic.
According to Japan Airlines, this cyber incident did not involve any viruses or lead to any breach of customer data. However, by late morning, the disruptions caused delays for 24 domestic flights, each affected for more than 30 minutes.
Concerns about the cybersecurity landscape in Japan have been highlighted by experts, particularly as the country enhances its defense capabilities and collaborates closely with the United States and other nations that have more robust cybersecurity measures. Although Japan has undertaken various initiatives, specialists emphasize that there is still much work required to fortify its cyber defenses.
In a separate incident earlier this year, Japan’s space agency disclosed that it had been subjected to a series of cyberattacks since 2023, though it maintained that sensitive data regarding rockets, satellites, and national defense remained intact. The agency has been conducting investigations to implement preventive measures. Furthermore, last year, a significant cyberattack incapacitated operations at a container terminal in the Nagoya port for a total of three days.
On the day of the attack, JAL briefly suspended ticket sales for both domestic and international flights set to depart, but these services were reinstated several hours later. The Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, addressed the media, stating that the transport ministry had instructed Japan Airlines to expedite the restoration of their systems and ensure that affected passengers received appropriate assistance.
Fortunately, other airlines in Japan, including ANA Holdings, Skymark, and Starflyer, reported that they were not impacted by the cyberattack. Footage from television broadcasts depicted large crowds of passengers at Tokyo’s Haneda airport as the incident unfolded during a peak travel season with year-end vacations approaching. As the New Year holidays, a significant travel period for many individuals returning to their hometowns, approach—beginning this weekend—passengers are particularly reliant on flight services.
