TOKYO, July 15 — A cyberattack on a major frozen food maker in Japan has left businesses including Kentucky Fried Chicken and a popular sushi chain warning of possible shortages and even store closures.

Nichirei, Japan’s top frozen food supplier, said on Wednesday that it “came under a cyberattack”, disrupting subsidiaries’ operations including deliveries to clients.

The company did not share details of the attack, which Nichirei first disclosed in a statement on Monday that cited “system failures caused by unauthorised access”.

The disruption could affect large parts of Japan’s food sector as Nichirei also provides temperature-controlled logistics services to a wide range of businesses.

Supermarkets have already been hit by shortages, while local media reported that pastry chefs and elderly care centres have also been affected.

Kura Sushi Inc, a popular conveyor-belt sushi chain with nearly 700 locations in Japan and overseas, said on Wednesday that stores in the country’s west were experiencing shipment delays for some products.

Kentucky Fried Chicken Japan warned on Tuesday that some restaurants could face shortages that may force the chain to remove certain items from menus or temporarily close stores.

Nichirei said in its Monday statement that it was “investigating and taking measures to restore the systems”, adding that it planned to gradually resume disrupted operations from Friday.

The incident is the latest cyberattack to disrupt operations at a major Japanese company.

Last year, beer giant Asahi was hit by a ransomware attack that affected its ability to receive orders and ship products, while retailer Muji suspended online shopping in Japan after a ransomware attack on its delivery partner Askul. — AFP