Father leaves 7-year-old son alone on Mount Fuji to continue hike, reports say

What the report says

Japanese police have reprimanded a father after he left his seven-year-old son alone on Mount Fuji while continuing a climb with the child’s older brother, according to BBC World News citing local media. The boy was reportedly discovered sitting on a bench in foggy, rainy conditions at more than 2,000 metres on the mountain, with only a soft drink and a snack.

The BBC reported that the 48-year-old father had taken both boys on the hike and told the younger child to “wait here” when he became tired. Staff at a mountain hut near the sixth station found the boy and alerted police. His father was later located at the eighth station, several hours away on the route, and reunited with his son.

The incident is said to have happened on the Fujinomiya route, one of the paths used to climb Japan’s highest peak, which stands at 3,776 metres south-west of Tokyo. Mount Fuji is a major tourist and climbing destination, but routes can be demanding and weather conditions can change quickly. The BBC noted that the mountain has seen a number of recent rescue and safety incidents, underlining ongoing concerns about climber preparedness and child safety on challenging trails.