When cryptocurrency exchange Coincheck Inc. explained how hackers were able to make off with $530 million (¥56.7 billion) in digital money, it noted that part of the problem had been beyond its control; the firm had struggled amid Japan's shortage of software engineers.
Coincheck said that no matter how hard it tried, it simply couldn't hire workers with the skills to seal gaps in security.
"We were aware we didn't have enough people working on internal checks, management and system risk," chief executive Koichiro Wada told reporters last month. "We strived to expand using headhunters and agencies, but ended up in this situation."