Following incidents in which people have been stranded on Mount Fuji as a result of irresponsible climbing, debate has erupted in cities near the national landmark over whether to make offseason hikers pay out of pocket for rescue fees.
At a news conference held last Friday, Hidetada Sudo, the mayor of the city of Fujinomiya in Shizuoka Prefecture, expressed anger over some climbers' actions that suggest they have underestimated the dangers of the nation’s tallest mountain.
“They are climbing on their own without listening (to warnings) and end up getting stranded,” said Sudo. “The cost of rescuing them is enormous — I think that such fees should be borne by those stranded. It’s their own responsibility.”
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