On July 19, a 19-year-old French hiker was rescued on Mt. Fuji's Gotemba trail after falling ill around 2:40 AM at an elevation of about 2,200 meters. His brother called for help, stating the hiker couldn't walk on his own.
The man, who complained of left leg pain and showed symptoms of altitude sickness, was brought down by police and fire rescue teams. While his injuries were not life-threatening, authorities suspect he was attempting a "bullet climb"—a dangerous ascent and descent without an overnight stay.
New regulations, starting in the 2025 summer season, require climbers on Mt. Fuji's Shizuoka side to have a mountain hut reservation to enter between 2 PM and 3 AM. Although the French hiker had a reservation and a wristband, he reportedly started climbing at 10 PM. This suggests he may have booked the hut simply to bypass the new rules without intending to use it for an overnight stay.
In response to such incidents, the mayor of Fujinomiya City, located at the base of Mt. Fuji, has angrily proposed that rescue costs for these types of climbs should be the responsibility of the individual, emphasizing personal accountability. The mayor criticized people for underestimating the mountain, stating that rescue personnel put their own lives at risk. The governor of Shizuoka Prefecture is considering discussing this proposal with the national government.
by MagazineKey4532