7-year-old got tired on a hike up Mount Fuji, so his father left him at a bench 8,200 ft above sea level and told him to wait

A 7-year-old Japanese boy was recently left unattended on the side of Mount Fuji. The child was discovered sitting alone on a bench at the sixth station of the Fujinomiya trail on Aug 20, having reportedly been instructed to wait there by his father after the boy became tired.

According to CNN, the child was found by a worker at a mountain hut approximately 8,200 feet above sea level. The worker realized the boy was alone, so brought him inside the shelter for safety and eventually contacted the police. 

Japan Today reported that the 48-year-old father, the boy, and his older brother started their ascent early in the morning. Reports place the older brother at 12 or 13 years old, as he is a first-year junior high school student. When the group reached the sixth of the ten stations on the way to the summit, the younger child started complaining that he was tired. Instead of turning back or taking a break, the father told his son, “Wait here.” He then continued the climb to the peak with his older son.

A concerning decision

According to Japan Today, the Mount Fuji Climbing official website estimates that it takes a little over five hours to hike from the sixth station to the summit. Then, it is more than two and a half hours to descend back to that same point. Thus, the father was essentially expecting a 7-year-old child to remain safe and stationary on the side of a massive volcano for a significant portion of the day. 

Japan Today notes that the boy was likely abandoned around 4:30 in the morning, based on the three-hour climb time required to reach the eighth station, where the father was when the police got in touch with him and ordered him back. In 2019, a man livestreamed his climb to the peak of Mount Fuji during the winter. He then unknowingly captured his death at the hands of the weather and mountain conditions.  

The outlet noted that the weather on Mount Fuji is famously volatile and can shift in an instant. When the mountain hut worker discovered the boy at 7:40 in the morning, it was raining, and fog was beginning to settle over the trail. 

Exposure to these conditions, combined with the extreme altitude, can lead to serious risks for any hiker. Let alone a young child left without supervision. According to CNN, in the past, climbers have required rescue due to the sudden onset of altitude sickness and unpredictable weather patterns on the 12,388-foot-tall volcano. Recently, a hike in Montana took a dangerous turn when the climber impaled himself on his own pole and had to walk back 10 miles with it still in his side. 

CNN reported that the father and his older son finally returned five hours later. When they did, they were met by police officers who had been waiting with the younger boy. The officers issued a stern warning, noting that the father could potentially be held criminally liable for his actions. 

According to Japan Today, the father expressed remorse for his choice. He stated, “I made a rash decision, and I deeply regret it.” The officers clarified the severity of the situation, telling him, “Even if it means having to give up on climbing the mountain together, leaving a child behind is unacceptable.”

This event serves as a serious reminder of the safety protocols necessary when navigating high-altitude environments. Per Japan Today, authorities have been working to modernize safety on the mountain. To achieve this, they recently introduced a cap on the total number of climbers allowed per day. They also require hikers to participate in a brief safety class. 

Police now emphasize that those who take to the trails must be mindful of the physical limitations of everyone in their group. Authorities caution that hikers should always tailor their pace and trip to accommodate the member who has the lowest stamina.