NAGANO, Japan: Japanese local authorities and ski resorts in winter destinations are struggling to deal with a surge of stranded foreign backcountry skiers and snowboarders, some of whom require rescue operations, Kyodo News Agency reported. Although the man later descended on his own, the woman was caught in an avalanche and went missing. The signs warn in English and Japanese that skiers put their own lives at risk by going off trails. The app's developer, Yukiyama Inc., has worked with a ski resort in Minakami, Gunma Prefecture, in eastern Japan, to improve its safety functions. Yoko Yashiro at the Nagano prefectural government's mountain highlands tourism section said the lack of legal controls on backcountry skiing means all authorities can do is "continue promoting safety awareness."

Source: The Star March 08, 2026 14:54 UTC