Overview
- Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested an unnamed 15-year-old on suspicion of obstructing business after investigators say he admitted using a custom program to attack Bandai Channel.
- Police allege the suspect used the generative AI tool ChatGPT to help write the code that illegally accessed servers and forced 46,812 member accounts to be unsubscribed.
- Bandai Namco Filmworks halted Bandai Channel after the November 2025 breach, restored service in December, and says it has implemented measures to strengthen information security.
- Investigators say the attacker obtained member email addresses and user nicknames during the breach but have not confirmed any misuse or publication of that data.
- The case highlights how easy-to-use AI can lower the technical barrier to large-scale attacks and raises questions about how to police juvenile cybercrime and protect user data as the probe and possible legal action continue.