Japan Braces for Shortage of Its Favorite Beer

A major cyberattack has brought Asahi's Japanese operations to a halt, leaving convenience stores and supermarkets across the country bracing for a shortage of the nation's best-selling beer and bottled tea. The cyberattack hit ordering and delivery systems, forcing Asahi Group, the nation's largest brewer and a key player in soft drinks and food, to halt most of its domestic factory operations, the BBC reports. Since Monday, the disruption has caused leading retailers—including 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson, and Life Cooperation—to warn customers about expected shortages of Asahi products, including Super Dry, the country's most popular beer.

The company, which also owns international brands such as Peroni, Pilsner Urquell, and Grolsch, confirmed that only its Japanese operations, accounting for roughly half its total sales, have been affected. The cyberattack also blocked Asahi from receiving external emails, further complicating communications. Asahi says its main priority is restoring supply, and it has started limited manual processing of orders and shipments. It's not clear when its systems will be operating again. Super Dry was still available in a 7-Eleven in Tokyo an AP reporter visited on Friday, though a worker warned that stocks would soon be running low.