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Rising hiking accidents and new safety measures in Japan

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2026-09-16 13:06 UTC → 2026-09-21 18:47 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Recent reports highlight a rise in hiking accidents across Japan’s mountainous regions. Individual incidents include a 55-year-old man being rescued from Mount Hoken in the Central Alps following a 15-meter fall, and two separate injuries on Mount Fuji involving a woman with ankle injuries and a Chinese national with a serious heel fracture. These incidents occur against a broader backdrop of increasing mountain-related accidents in Japan. As the nation marks the 10th anniversary of ‘Mountain Day,’ data shows a significant rise in distress calls, with last year recording 3,623 accidents—the highest since 1961. Experts have noted that accidents are increasingly occurring on low-altitude mountains and are frequently involving hikers aged 60 and above who may lack sufficient physical training for their activities. Tragedy has struck on Mount Fuji’s Yoshida Trail, where a 57-year-old Indonesian citizen, identified as JK, was found unconscious near the 7th Station and subsequently passed away. The climbing season for the Mount Fuji Subashiri Trail concluded on September 10, following an extended season that began on July 1. This extension led to over 10,000 visitors at the Subashiri Trail 5th Station information center, a 127% increase from the previous year. Authorities have warned that climbing is prohibited following the closure, as mountain huts are closed and no rescue systems are available during the winter. In response to safety ~~concerns and the cost of emergency services,~~ concerns, Yamanashi Prefecture is ~~developing~~ formalizing a policy to charge for helicopter rescue services on Mount Fuji during the closed season, targeted for implementation in September 2027. ~~Officials plan~~ Under these proposed rules, climbers attempting to ~~use~~ scale the mountain above the sixth station between early September and July must submit detailed climbing plans, including intended routes and equipment lists, to potentially qualify for fee ~~structure of neighboring Saitama Prefecture as a reference, where rescue costs are~~ exemptions. The cost for helicopter interventions is expected to be based on fuel consumption, potentially reaching approximately 8,000 yen for every five minutes of flight time. ~~Governor Kotaro Nagasaki stated~~ In Shizuoka Prefecture, which manages the ~~goal is~~ southern routes, authorities are focusing on increasing penalties for those who fail to ~~encourage the public~~ register climbing attempts and are planning to ~~‘rethink the risks of winter climbing.’~~ use barricades and sensors to monitor and alert officials to unauthorized climbers attempting to enter restricted areas.

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