No More Free Rescues on Mount Fuji: "Helicopter Fees Imposed at 70,000 Won Every 5 Minutes for Lost Climbers"

Rescue Helicopter Fees to Be Charged at Around 8,000 Yen Per 5 Minutes
Experts Say "This Will Be an Effective Countermeasure"

Following a series of incidents involving foreign tourists getting lost or dying on Mount Fuji, one of Japan's most iconic landmarks, local authorities have announced new measures, including the introduction of fees for rescue helicopter dispatches. These efforts aim to reduce accidents caused by reckless climbing.

Mandatory Submission of Climbing Plans…“Revision Recommendations if Plans Are Inadequate”

<사진>Scenery of Mount Fuji. Photo by Yonhap News

According to NHK on September 14, Yamanashi Prefecture, which oversees major access routes to Mount Fuji, has drafted an ordinance amendment requiring climbers to submit a climbing plan when ascending above the sixth station (approximately 2,700 meters above sea level) outside the official summer climbing season (from July to early September). If the climbing plan is deemed insufficient, officials can recommend revisions.

Yamanashi Prefecture reported that even during climbing restrictions, a large number of hikers have entered Mount Fuji, resulting in 21 rescue incidents and 4 deaths from 2019 through last year. According to local police data, there were 18 rescue incidents from 2020 through last year, with rescue helicopters dispatched a total of 8 times.

8,000 yen Every 5 Minutes for Rescue Helicopter When Lost Due to Reckless Climbing

Of particular concern are cases involving foreign hikers unfamiliar with the local terrain and weather, who climb Mount Fuji during restricted periods or enter unauthorized trails, sometimes resulting in being lost or fatalities. Notably, in April last year, a Chinese student studying in Japan required rescue on two separate occasions within a few days.

In response, Yamanashi Prefecture plans to introduce a system from September next year that will charge approximately 8,000 yen (about 70,000 won) per 5 minutes for disaster-prevention helicopter rescues caused by reckless climbing. This policy will apply to those who become lost after entering without prior notification, or even if a climbing plan was submitted but the climber did not have appropriate equipment.

Experts have assessed that imposing specific costs, beyond simply advising caution, will serve as an effective measure to prevent reckless climbs. In Saitama Prefecture, which implemented paid helicopter rescue services in 2018, the number of mountain rescue incidents dropped from 52 to 34 in the seven years before and after the policy’s introduction.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.