Mount Fuji hiker leaves seven-year-old son alone to continue climb

A 48-year-old man left his seven-year-old son alone on Mount Fuji for several hours while continuing a hike with his older child. The incident occurred on the Fujinomiya Trail at the sixth station, approximately 2,490 meters above sea level, after the young boy complained of exhaustion.

The father reportedly provided the child with a snack and a soft drink, instructing him to wait on a bench before proceeding toward the summit. The boy was eventually discovered by a mountain shelter employee in foggy and rainy conditions. Police located the father several hours later between the seventh and eighth stations, roughly a three-hour walk from where the child had been left.

The child was found uninjured but tired and fussy. Following the incident, authorities reprimanded the father and emphasized that leaving a child alone on the mountain is unacceptable. Officials issued warnings to hikers regarding the unpredictable weather, altitude, and the necessity of pacing climbs according to the physical capabilities of all group members.