A 27-year-old university student who climbed Mount Fuji outside of its official climbing season was rescued twice in four days, after he returned to look for his mobile phone.
The Chinese student, who lives in Japan, was first rescued by helicopter on Tuesday while on the Fujinomiya trail, which sits about 3,000m (9,800ft) above sea level.
He was unable to descend the trail after he lost his crampons – a spiked device that is attached to the bottom of climbing shoes for better traction.
But days later, he returned to the mountain to retrieve belongings that he left behind, including his phone. He was rescued again on Saturday after suffering from altitude sickness but is now out of danger.
Due to harsh conditions, people are discouraged from climbing Mount Fuji outside of the official climbing season that starts in early July and ends in early September.
All trails leading to Mount Fuji’s summit are closed at this time, according to the environment ministry.
Following the man’s rescue, police in Shizuoka prefecture reiterated its advice against climbing the mountain during off-season as the weather could suddenly change, making it hard for rescuers to respond. Medical facilities along the trails are also closed.
Posts by some X users criticised the man for ignoring the safety advice against climbing at the time, saying he should be made to pay for both rescue missions.
Renowned all over the world for its perfect cone shape, the 3,776m (12,388ft) high Mount Fuji is one of Japan’s most popular attractions and authorities have in recent years taken steps to address overtourism by raising climbing fees.
In 2023, more than 220,000 people climbed Mount Fuji between July and September.