Japan received reports of 19,417 personal data breach cases in fiscal 2025, the second-highest annual total on record, eclipsed only by the previous year¡¯s 21,007 cases, according to a report by a government commission.
Data breaches reported by private-sector entities decreased to 17,139 from 19,056, while breaches at government agencies increased to a record 2,278 from 1,951, said the report by the Personal Information Protection Commission, adopted by the cabinet Tuesday.
The commission issued one administrative order, its most severe enforcement measure, to a name list broker found to have supplied names and addresses to fraud group members. The case prompted the commission¡¯s first emergency order in May last year.
The commission also took 649 guidance or advisory measures and made two recommendations.
¡°Many cases involved hospitals and pharmacies erroneously providing documents to the wrong recipients or companies misdirecting items such as credit cards,¡± digital transformation and cybersecurity minister Hisashi Matsumoto said after a cabinet meeting.
¡°We¡¯ll check what measures are taken to prevent a recurrence and continue taking action,¡± Matsumoto said.
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