Overview
- The child became trapped around 10 a.m. on Dec. 28 at Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort in Otaru and died at a hospital after rescue about 45 minutes later.
- Police on Dec. 29 began checking the emergency-stop system and the resort’s safety management with possible professional-negligence charges under consideration.
- The resort said no monitor was posted at the device, though a morning check found no abnormalities.
- Reporting indicates the automatic stop did not trigger and the boy’s mother pressed the emergency stop switch.
- Other ski areas are rechecking equipment and operations as questions arise over lightly regulated “snow escalators,” and the same conveyor previously saw a customer fracture and gloves get caught.