Nihon Kotsu Cyberattack Disrupts Japan’s Largest Taxi Operator

Japan’s largest taxi operator, Nihon Kotsu, is recovering from a cyberattack that forced the company to shut down parts of its IT infrastructure.

The attack disrupted several customer services, including the company’s taxi dispatch system, which remains unavailable. Investigators are also examining whether any customer or company data was exposed during the incident.

Malware Attack Forces Emergency Shutdown

Nihon Kotsu said it detected unauthorized access to its internal systems early on Saturday.

According to the company, the intrusion involved a malware infection. As soon as the attack was discovered, affected systems were disconnected to prevent further damage and contain the incident.

The company has not revealed how the attackers gained access or what type of malware was used.

Booking and Dispatch Systems Remain Offline

The cyberattack affected multiple customer-facing services.

Several systems are currently unavailable, including:

• Taxi dispatch
• Vehicle reservations
• Online bookings
• Reservation management
• Telephone dispatch services
• Some internal business systems

While recovery work continues, the company has encouraged customers to use the GO taxi app or book vehicles directly from nearby taxi stands where possible.

Special Taxi Service Also Suspended

The disruption has also affected Nihon Kotsu’s specialized transport services.

Its maternity taxi program, which provides transportation for pregnant women nearing childbirth, has been suspended in several areas, including:

• Tokyo
• Musashino
• Mitaka
• Tachikawa
• Yokohama
• Saitama

The company has not announced when these services will resume.

Investigation Into Possible Data Breach Continues

Nihon Kotsu has brought in external cybersecurity specialists to investigate the attack and assist with system recovery.

So far, the company says there is no evidence that customer or employee data has been stolen. However, it is continuing to examine that possibility as part of the ongoing investigation.

If the investigation confirms a data breach, Nihon Kotsu says it will notify affected individuals and publish updates through its official communication channels.

Customers Warned About Potential Scams

The company is also warning customers to remain alert for fraudulent messages claiming to come from Nihon Kotsu.

Users are advised not to open unexpected email attachments or click suspicious links, as attackers sometimes exploit high-profile cyber incidents to launch phishing campaigns.

No Group Has Claimed Responsibility

At the time of writing, no ransomware operation or cybercrime group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Nihon Kotsu is Japan’s largest taxi and chauffeur operator by revenue. The company employs more than 18,000 people and operates a fleet of over 8,500 taxis alongside more than 2,000 chauffeur vehicles. The investigation remains ongoing as the company works to restore affected systems.