Accidents at Ski Resorts: Urgently Check Whether There are Dangerous Areas

Editorial

13:57 JST, January 16, 2026

A tragic accident occurred at a ski resort in Hokkaido where a young boy was fatally caught in a moving walkway. With the arrival of the full-fledged ski season, all ski resorts must thoroughly inspect their facilities for safety.

Last month at the Asarigawa Onsen ski resort in Otaru, Hokkaido, a 5-year-old boy attending nursery school fell down near the end point of a moving walkway that connected the parking lot to the ski resort. His arm became trapped in the belt’s winding mechanism.

The boy was transported to the hospital but was confirmed dead. As his clothing was also caught in the moving walkway, he is believed to have died from asphyxiation due to the compression of his neck.

The moving walkway was a conveyor belt type designed to stop automatically if foreign objects are caught in it. However, it did not stop when the accident took place, and it was his mother who pressed the emergency stop button to halt it. No staff were reportedly stationed at the site.

The boy was extricated 40 minutes after the accident happened. The heartbreaking grief of parents who witnessed their child caught in an unexpected accident and lost their son is beyond imagination.

The moving walkway involved in the accident had a belt width of about 50 centimeters and lacked handrails.

Multiple moving walkways are installed at this ski resort. Past incidents included an elderly individual falling down and breaking a bone, as well as ski poles getting caught and damaged.

Consequently, employees had reportedly voiced concerns, saying that a staff member should be permanently stationed there.

The Hokkaido police searched the ski resort’s operating company on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death. Why did this accident occur? Why were lessons not learned from past accidents, and why were no attendants assigned? It is necessary to thoroughly clarify the facts and determine where responsibility lies.

Japan’s skiing population has been declining since its peak of 18.6 million in 1993, reaching only 4.2 million in 2024, including snowboarders.

As a result, ski resorts have been installing moving walkways within their facilities to attract families with children. However, weren’t safety measures, such as installing handrails, neglected in favor of prioritizing attracting customers? It is hoped that they will inspect hazardous spots again.

Ski resorts have seen accidents in the past, such as metal lift arms breaking and skiers falling. Items to check should also include whether components, including those of gondolas, are showing signs of aging.

The number of foreign skiers is increasing. Safety measures such as displaying precautions in foreign languages are also essential.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 16, 2026)