Mount Fuji: Recent incident sparks concern after father leaves 7-year-old son alone to continue hike

According to local media reports, a father faced a grave reminder from police after leaving his son on Japan's highest mountain for several hours with just a soft drink and snacks.

The seven-year-old was found sitting on a windowsill on Mount Fuji in foggy and rainy conditions at a point situated over 2,000m.

The 48-year-old father told him to wait there after the boy grumbled about being sleepy and continued the climb with his elder son. However, staff at a mountain hut found the child near the sixth station of a hiking route ascending the summit and alerted police.

The report further indicates that his father was discovered at the route’s eighth station, supposedly a three-hour hike away.

In this connection, the Japan Today said: “Even if it means having to give up on climbing the mountain together, leaving a child behind is unacceptable.” The family was found on the Fujinomiya route, starting from the fifth station on the mountain.

Mount Fuji stands at a height of 3,776m and is known for a number of climbing accidents in recent years. It is an active volcano located south-west of Tokyo; moreover over 200,000 people climb it each year but there are climber quotas on some routes to reduce crowding.