Mount Fuji: Japan's Yamanashi to Charge Rescue Fee During Off Season
BBC News reports that starting next year, individuals attempting to climb Mount Fuji during off-peak seasons who require helicopter rescue will be charged a fee.
This new measure, proposed by the governing authorities of Yamanashi prefecture, aims to deter reckless and poorly prepared climbers. A similar fee structure, referencing Saitama prefecture's existing charge of 8,000 yen ($51; £38) per five minutes, is expected.
Yamanashi officials are also introducing a requirement for off-season climbers to submit detailed climbing plans. Governor Kotaro Nagasaki urged the public to refrain from climbing during these months: "We hope that these measures will cause people to rethink what climbing Mount Fuji during the winter is like."
Mount Fuji's official climbing season runs from July to early September, with about 200,000 hikers attempting the summit annually. Climbing outside of this period is discouraged but permitted up to the fifth station.
However, most mountain huts and facilities are closed during the off-season, and weather and trail conditions tend to be more challenging.