Father leaves 7-year-old son alone on Mount Fuji to continue hike, reports say
The man had taken his two boys on the trip but is said to have left one behind when he got tired.
A father has faced police censure after reportedly leaving his 7-year-old son unattended on Japan's tallest mountain, Mount Fuji, for several hours with only a soft drink and a snack.
The boy was discovered alone on a bench at an elevation exceeding 2,000m (6,500ft) amidst foggy and rainy conditions. His 48-year-old father reportedly instructed him to "wait here" after the child expressed fatigue, then proceeded with the ascent alongside his elder son.
Mountain hut personnel located the child near the sixth station of a hiking path leading to the summit and notified authorities. The father was subsequently traced to the eighth station of the route, approximately a three-hour hike away.
Reports indicate the boy was found by himself at 07:30 local time on Thursday (22:30 GMT). Upon his return from the higher station, officers reprimanded the father during his reunion with his son.
According to Japan Today, an officer told him, "Even if it means having to give up on climbing the mountain together, leaving a child behind is unacceptable." The father reportedly apologized for his "rash" decision.
The family was said to be on the Fujinomiya route, which commences from the mountain's fifth station, a point accessible by public transportation. Climbing guides suggest it takes approximately five hours to reach the peak from there and an additional three hours for the descent.
Mount Fuji, an active volcano situated southwest of Tokyo and standing at 3,776m (12,389ft), has been the scene of several climbing incidents recently. In July, a 99-year-old woman required rescue after falling and injuring her hip and back while attempting the route. Last year, a 27-year-old university student, climbing outside the official season, needed rescuing twice in four days after returning to search for his lost mobile phone.
Granted World Heritage status in 2013, Mount Fuji is also recognized as one of Japan's three traditional "Holy Mountains," alongside Mount Tate and Mount Haku. Approximately 200,000 people climb it annually, with daily limits imposed on certain routes to prevent overcrowding.