Overview

• At around 1:50 p.m. on August 11, a jet ski–towed banana boat overturned at Zenibako Beach in Otaru, Hokkaido.
• All five passengers were wearing approved life jackets when they were thrown into the sea.
• A 54-year-old man from Sapporo walked unaided to shallow water after being rescued but was later found unconscious and died at a hospital.
• The remaining four passengers escaped without injuries and received medical checks at the scene.
• Otaru Coast Guard and Otaru Police have opened investigations into the accident’s circumstances and emergency response protocols.