The 22-year-old woman had been using a chairlift at Tsugaike Mountain Resort in Otari, Nagano prefecture, when part of her backpack became caught in the lift mechanism, leaving her suspended in midair. The woman then suffered a heart attack and was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead, officials said. The Tsugaike Mountain Resort and Tsugaike Gondola Lift Co issued a joint apology and said an investigation had been launched into the incident, which occurred around 09:00 local time (0:00 GMT) on Friday.

The resort's chief executive Tsuneo Kubo expressed his "deepest condolences to the bereaved family" and said safety measures would be strengthened. He said in a statement that an unfastened buckle on the woman's backpack had become hooked to the chair while the bag's chest strap was still fastened, causing her to be dragged along with it after trying to disembark. The lift was stopped by an attendant who pressed the emergency button, after which first aid was administered and the woman was transported to hospital by ambulance, Kubo added. The accident took place at the top of the two-person Tsuga No.2 Pair Lift. The woman had been riding the lift with another person, police told local media. The lift operator said it was co-operating with police and other authorities as the cause of the accident was investigated and safety procedures reviewed. "We will take concrete measures to prevent recurrence," Kubo said. "We take this situation very seriously and will strive to operate the ski resort in a safe manner so that our customers can use it with peace of mind." Police are questioning resort staff and inspecting the lift equipment as part of their inquiry, according to local media. (BBC)