About 10,000 hikers illegally climb Mt. Fuji each year during its off-season, prompting Japanese local governments to consider charging climbers for rescue costs amid repeated mountain accidents.
According to a Yomiuri Shimbun analysis of smartphone big data conducted with a location analytics firm on Tuesday (local time), an estimated 8,000 to 12,000 people entered Mt. Fuji's trails each year during the closed season — outside the official climbing window from early July to September 10 — between 2019 and 2025. Excluding 2020, when COVID-19 travel restrictions were in place, roughly 10,000 unauthorized climbers entered the mountain annually.
Climbers were concentrated in June, just before the opening, and in September, right after the closure. The Fujinomiya route, the shortest path to the summit, accounted for about half of the climbers, while those aged 50 and older made up more than half of the total.
Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures currently close the trails under road law and install barricades and warning signs. Despite these measures, climbers continue to ignore the restrictions. During the survey period, 79 people were stranded during the closed season, and 19 of them lost their lives.
The data covered only residents of Japan, suggesting the actual number of unauthorized climbers is likely higher. Given that a significant portion of climbers during the open season are foreign tourists, a considerable number of foreigners are also believed to climb during the closed season.
"Why Use Tax Money for Rescues?" Debate Grows Over Paid Helicopter Rescues
Amid recurring accidents, calls are growing in Japan for climbers to bear part of the rescue costs. Yamanashi Prefecture is considering charging fees for disaster prevention helicopter rescues during the closed season on Mt. Fuji, with plans to determine the policy direction by this autumn.
During the closed season on Mt. Fuji, mountain huts are shut and rescue systems are limited. Strong winds, snow, and sudden temperature changes sharply increase the risk of accidents. Nevertheless, some tourists and climbers continue to attempt summit climbs recklessly, leading to ongoing rescue requests.
The controversy was fueled by a rescue incident last year involving a Chinese university student. The man was rescued after being stranded on Mt. Fuji during the closed season, only to climb again just days later and require another rescue. When the story became public, Japanese social media was flooded with criticism demanding that the climber bear the full rescue costs.
In Japan, mountain rescues are mostly carried out free of charge by police and fire authorities, with costs effectively covered by taxpayers. This has fueled debate over whether public funds should support reckless climbs that ignore clear warnings.
"Rescue Requests Could Be Delayed" — Sharp Divide Over Charging Fees
Introducing paid rescues, however, is unlikely to happen immediately. Concerns have been raised that imposing financial burdens for life-saving public services could delay rescue requests and lead to even greater accidents.
Another issue is that Mt. Fuji straddles both Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures, requiring both sides to apply the same standards. Detailed criteria must also be established, including whether the rule should apply only during the closed season or be expanded to times when weather warnings are in effect, and how foreign tourists should be notified and charged.
Still, public sentiment in Japan increasingly favors strengthening the principle of user responsibility. Currently, Saitama Prefecture is among the few in Japan that charge stranded climbers for part of the rescue costs, and the system is credited with deterring reckless mountain climbing since its introduction.
