Japanese companies suffered 239 ransomware attacks from January to October, more than double the 2021 total, according to a survey by security firm Macnica.

The count by Yokohama-based Macnica includes attacks without data encryption and already exceeds the 228 cases recorded in all of 2025, a new annual record. Among 100 Japanese firms surveyed by Proofpoint, the ransomware infection rate jumped to 73% in 2025 from 38% in the 2023 survey, the largest increase among 11 comparable countries — and about 40% of organizations that paid ransoms failed to recover data or regain access after a single payment, many facing additional demands.