Monday | 2nd February 2026
Tokyo — An Australian snowboarder has died while on a holiday with friends in Japan after her backpack became caught on a ski lift, leaving her suspended in midair, according to Japanese police and the lift operator.
Nagano Omachi Police said the 22-year-old tourist went into cardiac arrest following the accident, which occurred on Friday at Tsugaike Mountain Resort in the Hakuba Valley — a well-known ski area in central Japan that is popular with international visitors. Emergency services were called to the scene, and the woman was transported to a nearby hospital, but she later died from her injuries, police confirmed.
In a statement released Saturday, Tsugaike Gondola Lift Co. explained that the waist buckle of the woman’s backpack became entangled with the lift chair as she attempted to disembark. Because the backpack’s chest strap was fastened, the bag did not detach from her body, causing her to be dragged along as the chair continued moving.
“Because the chest strap of the backpack was fastened, the backpack did not detach from the guest’s body, and the guest was dragged along with the backpack after disembarking from the lift,” said company CEO and director Kubo Tsuneo. He added that lift staff immediately activated the emergency stop button and provided first aid before the woman was taken to hospital by ambulance.
The company expressed its “deepest condolences to the bereaved family” and said it would review and strengthen its safety procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Local police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident, including whether additional safety guidance or equipment checks may be required for lift users.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed the death of an Australian citizen in Japan and said consular officials were providing support to the woman’s family. “We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time,” a department spokesperson said.
Japan is regarded as one of Asia’s premier snow sports destinations, famed for its light powder snow and world-class resorts. Each winter, destinations such as Hakuba attract large numbers of foreign skiers and snowboarders, particularly from Australia, Europe, and North America.