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Japan Records Highest Annual Mountain-Accident Toll Since 1961

Rising numbers of visiting backcountry skiers together with an older hiking population are increasing pressure on mountain rescue services.

Overview

  • Police data released on June 18, 2026 show 3,623 mountain-accident victims in 2025, an increase of 266 from the year before and the largest annual total since records began in 1961.
  • Incidents numbered 3,122 in 2025, up 176 from 2024, with 299 deaths, 33 people missing and 1,480 injured reported across the country.
  • Incidents involving visiting foreign tourists reached post-2018 highs with 174 cases and 246 victims, and more than 100 of those foreign victims were linked to backcountry or off-piste skiing.
  • Nearly half of victims were aged 60 or older and the most common cause was getting lost, accounting for about 30 percent of cases, followed by falls and slips.
  • Wildlife attacks affected 41 people in 2025, including 27 bear-related cases that rose year on year, a trend that, together with low rates of filed climb notifications and GPS limits, officials say heightens demand on rescue teams and calls for better planning.