Japan's Mount Fuji to Impose Rescue Fees for Off-Season Climbers
Yamanashi prefecture will charge for helicopter rescues and require detailed climbing plans to deter unprepared individuals during off-peak months.
Starting next year, climbers who require helicopter rescue on Mount Fuji during its off-season will be charged for the service, according to authorities in Yamanashi prefecture. This measure is part of a broader initiative to discourage poorly prepared individuals from attempting the climb during months when conditions are more severe and facilities are limited.
Yamanashi prefecture will also mandate that climbers planning to ascend the mountain between early September and July submit detailed climbing plans. Officials hope these steps will prompt potential climbers to reconsider the risks associated with off-season ascents. "We ask the general public to refrain from climbing during the off-season. We hope that these measures will cause people to rethink what climbing Mount Fuji during the winter is like," said Yamanashi Governor Kotaro Nagasaki.
The prefecture is referencing a fee of 8,000 yen (approximately $51 USD) per five minutes for helicopter rescues already in place in Saitama prefecture for other mountainous areas. While Yamanashi will introduce the rescue fee, neighboring Shizuoka prefecture, which oversees the southern part of Mount Fuji, will focus on penalties for those failing to register off-season climbing attempts and will enhance efforts to block access to restricted areas. Shizuoka has not announced plans for a helicopter rescue fee.
Mount Fuji's official climbing season, when most mountain huts and toilet facilities are operational, runs from July to early September. Approximately 200,000 hikers attempt to reach the summit annually during this period. Climbing outside these months is permitted up to the fifth station, but weather and trail conditions are significantly harsher, and services are largely unavailable.