Osaka Hospital Hit by Cyberattack on Electronic Medical Record System Reaches ¥1 Billion Settlement with Contractors

From The Sankei Shimbun via Yahoo! Japan

August 8 2025

OSAKA – The Osaka Acute and General Medical Center (Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City) announced on the 8th that it has reached a settlement in which three private contractors, whose systems served as the entry point for a virus, will pay the hospital ¥1 billion in connection with a cyberattack in 2022 that disrupted its electronic medical record system.

In October 2022, the hospital was hit by a cyberattack using ransomware, which caused a system failure. Electronic medical records essential for medical care became unusable, forcing the suspension of new outpatient admissions and surgeries. While consultations and surgeries gradually resumed a few days later, full restoration of the hospital’s medical functions took until January of the following year.

According to a report by an investigative committee made up of experts, the virus infiltrated the hospital’s network through a food service contractor’s system. Weak antivirus measures allowed the infection to spread into the electronic medical record system. The hospital claimed damages of about ¥2 billion and had been negotiating with three contractors, including the one that built the food service system, over the sharing of responsibility.

Regarding the settlement, the hospital stated, “This settlement marks an important milestone. We will continue making improvements to become an even more reassuring medical institution.”