JAPAN'S LARGEST TAXI OPERATOR HITS BY CYBERATTACK

Nihon Kotsu confirmed the security breach and initiated a controlled shutdown of affected systems to contain the damage and prevent further compromise. The company operates thousands of taxis across Japan and handles millions of ride requests annually through its dispatch and booking platforms. The attack exposed vulnerabilities in the company's digital infrastructure, which manages core functions including taxi dispatch, customer reservations, and payment processing. The shutdown forced Nihon Kotsu to rely on manual operations and alternative systems to maintain service continuity during the incident. Details about the attack vector, attackers, and scope of compromised data remain limited. The company has not disclosed whether customer information, driver records, or payment data were accessed. Nihon Kotsu stated it is working with cybersecurity experts and law enforcement to investigate the breach. The incident underscores growing security risks facing Japan's transportation sector. Large infrastructure operators increasingly face sophisticated cyber threats targeting their operational technology and customer-facing systems. Nihon Kotsu has not provided a timeline for full system restoration. The company advised customers to expect potential service delays and encouraged booking through alternative methods during recovery efforts. This attack joins a series of significant cyberbreaches affecting major Japanese companies in recent years. Critical infrastructure providers are under mounting pressure from regulators and stakeholders to strengthen defenses and improve incident response capabilities. The company plans to issue detailed statements on the attack's impact and remediation steps following the completion of initial forensic investigations.