An Australian woman has died after becoming trapped in a ski lift at a resort in central Japan, officials have said.
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.
