NTT Security Japan OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) Monitoring Team revealed on August 7 that purported Kurdish hackers claimed responsibility for cyberattacks on Japanese businesses, including attacks on anime studios Toei Animation (One Piece), Production I.G (Kaiju No. 8), and David Production (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure).
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In its 13-page report, NTT Security documents admissions from Kurdish hacker social media accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram, sharing why it carried out DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks on Japanese businesses, starting in 2023. The messages, dated August 4 and 5, 2025, cite reasons such as anti-Kurdish discrimination by the Japanese people and government, Japan following orders from Turkey to expel Kurds, and Japanese companies producing anti-Kurdish anime that publicly burn Kurdish flags. One of the reported hacker group accounts said on August 4:
“Downing the website of Toei Animation by our team, a Japanese studio that produces Dragon Ball, One Piece, etc” (via X (formerly Twitter)
“Fascist and stupid Japanese stop defaming Kurds with your anime series” (via Telegram)
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Another post, likely via Telegram, reads:
“The Japanese and the Japanese government have been acting against the Kurds in Japan for several years and show their racism by demanding that the Kurds be expelled from the country because Turkey ordered them and Japan is Turkey’s dog, so we attack them.“
“I can say that the Japanese have created anti-Kurdish anime series to defame the Kurdish fighters and the Kurdish nation, openly burn the Kurdistan flag and distory the Kurds and Kurdistan. Therefore, our attacks on Japan will continue.“
It’s unclear whether the animosity is directed specifically at Toei Animation, Production I.G, and David Production, or whether they’re just prominent targets. NTT Security’s list of companies purported to have been attacked is below:
NTT says that the group has allied with pro-Russian hacktivists and is carrying out frequent attacks against Turkey, Iran, Armenia, and neighboring countries. You can read the report and the full set of claims by NTT Security here.
NTT Security is part of the NTT Group, one of the biggest telecommunications companies in the world, and the parent company of manga publisher and anime producer NTT DOCOMO (Manga Mirai, d-anime Store) and NTT Solmare (MangaPlaza, C’moA Comics, Obey Me! franchise).
Source: IT Media
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