Japan bank lobby may suspend ATMs over AI-enabled attacks

Katsuhiko Kato, chairman of the Japanese Bankers Association (JBA) and president of Mizuho Bank, said at a June 18, 2026 press conference that the emergence of frontier AI has changed the dimension of cyberattack threats, and that banks may proactively suspend services such as ATMs and internet banking while patching critical vulnerabilities. It is said to be the first official statement on frontier AI from the banking industry. Reuters