Photo/Illutration A logo of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is seen in front of an entrance at the JAXA Tokyo Office in Chiyoda Ward. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

A cyberattack on the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency potentially compromised highly confidential information concerning more than 40 companies and organizations that concluded nondisclosure agreements with the space agency, sources said.

The Asahi Shimbun reported June 21 that more than 10,000 files of information, including classified material, were targeted in a cyberattack on JAXA in June last year.

Of those files, more than 1,000 were provided by more than 40 partners, which include NASA, the European Space Agency, Toyota Motor Corp., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and the Defense Ministry, the sources said.

The cyberattack affected more than 10 JAXA divisions, ranging from space technologies to research and development and administration, the sources said.

“The Defense Ministry is paying close attention to the unauthorized access (to JAXA),” Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said June 21. “At the moment, there are no particular problems with the ministry’s operations.”

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, a key space development contractor, told The Asahi Shimbun, “We refrain from commenting on types of leaked information, although we have been kept informed by JAXA.”

The company, which has undertaken rocket launch and transportation services since 2007, is responsible for developing the latest H-3 rocket.

A public relations official of Toyota, which is developing a manned lunar rover for the NASA-led Artemis program in which JAXA is participating, said, “Please contact JAXA on the matter.”

A representative of one affected company, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “We are aware that the leaked information includes our confidential information. As a result of our in-house investigation, we have determined that no harm has been done.”

JAXA was also targeted in several cyberattacks this year, but the agency said it has not confirmed any information leakage or is still investigating.

An external investigation commissioned by JAXA suggests that a Chinese hacker group was involved in the series of cyberattacks, based on traces of intrusions and other evidence.

The attack in June last year caused the largest damage.

Personal data concerning JAXA officials and others was stolen, allowing hackers to illegally access JAXA accounts on Microsoft 365, the U.S. technology company’s cloud service.

(This article was written by Tatsuya Sudo, a senior staff writer, and Takahiro Takenouchi.)

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