A French woman who visited the popular tourist destination of Nikko has been missing since late last month, the Tochigi Prefectural Police announced Sunday.

Tiphaine Veron, 36, was last seen on the morning of July 29, when she left her lodging facility there, they said. The manager of the facility called the police the next day after she failed to return for her suitcase.

The police are investigating her whereabouts and trying to determine whether she was involved in an accident or a crime.

Veron arrived in Japan alone on the evening of July 27 and checked in for two nights at the lodging facility in Nikko the following day. Based on a memo left in her room and other information, police officers searched the area around popular Toshogu Shrine and elsewhere but failed to turn up any clues.

Veron was planning to stay in Japan until around the middle of the month and apparently did not have plans to meet anyone during her stay. She has an illness that can make her faint or feel groggy when not using her prescribed medication, according to the police.

A cousin of the woman posted photographs and a message on Twitter describing Veron as having light brown hair and green eyes. It has been translated into Japanese and retweeted nearly 1,000 times.

The cousin, Emmanuelle, said she can be contacted via Twitter @lfemma.

KEYWORDS Tiphaine Veron