A summary of public reports, written by Ski in Sky and checked against each source. It is not an official investigation, and it may change as investigations continue.
What happened
The skier went outside the ski area at Niseko Moiwa and phoned their workplace about 11:00 to say they were lost. Ski patrol searched and found skis and footprints at the location given by the phone, but not the skier. The workplace called police about 17:30, and from about 18:30 the skier's phone could no longer be reached. Police and fire searched that night and again from 07:30 the next morning, and found the skier late that morning beside a river near the skis, covered in snow and in cardiac arrest. The skier was confirmed dead at hospital.
About 11:00 on the 13th the skier phoned their workplace to say they were lost; their workplace called police about 17:30. Found late in the morning of the 14th.
Where
Outside the ski areaOutside the ski area of Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort, Niseko town, beside a river near where the skier's skis had been found.
Known only to the area.
Link to the ski area
Near a ski area, not inside it
Reported as outside the ski area of Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort, which is not part of Niseko United and is not a resort Ski in Sky covers.
People
Died1
Injured—Not reported
Rescued—Not reported
What is known about the cause
- Police, preliminaryBecame lost after leaving the ski area (police view at the time of reporting). [3]
Not confirmed
- Cause of death.
- Whether the skier left through an official gate.
Since then
- 2026-01-19After a run of accidents and lost-skier incidents at and around ski areas in Shiribeshi (about 10 in the Kutchan and Yoichi police districts since the start of the year, 2 of them fatal), Hokkaido Police urged skiers not to go into the backcountry alone and to carry a transceiver.
Sources
- UHB (Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting) ↗ · 2026-01-14
- UHB (Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting) ↗ · 2026-01-14
- UHB (Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting) ↗ · 2026-01-14
- HTB (Hokkaido Television Broadcasting) ↗
- Hokkaido Shimbun ↗
- Hokkaido Shimbun ↗ · 2026-01-19
Last checked against the sources on 2026-10-22.