A female foreign national was critically injured in an avalanche at Mount Yotei in Kutchan, a popular ski resort in Hokkaido, local police said Friday.
According to Hokkaido Prefectural Police, another woman called police at around 2:25 p.m. Friday and reported in English that an avalanche had occurred.
The police said the woman who was injured was hit by the avalanche when she was climbing the 1,898-meter-high mountain with a group of about 10 foreign nationals and was taken to hospital unconscious.
Mount Yotei is one of Hokkaido's most famous mountains and is a popular outdoor spot. As COVID-19 border control measures were relaxed, the number of foreign tourists has recovered to around 80% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the town.
According to the local weather agency, the temperature around Kutchan reached 8 degrees Celcius on Friday, the level usually posted in early April. An avalanche warning had been issued.