Furusato Choice portal site suffers unauthorized access and data leak

The Furusato Choice tax donation portal site has suspended its services following unauthorized access that has led to the potential leakage of personal information. The service interruption began around 15:50 on October 19, 2025, to prevent further damage and ensure security.

Operating company Trust Bank is currently working with external experts to investigate the facts and determine the scope of the impact. As a result of the suspension, users are currently unable to browse or make donations to municipalities, such as Tara Town, through the portal.

Local governments, including Tara Town and several municipalities in Kyoto Prefecture such as Nagaokakyo, Muko, and Oyamazaki, have issued warnings to donors. Users are advised to change passwords on other services if they use the same credentials, to be wary of suspicious emails, SMS, or phone calls claiming to be from the portal or local governments, and to avoid clicking on suspicious links.