Made a rash decision: Japanese man apologises after leaving son on Mount Fuji

A father climbing Mount Fuji left his exhausted seven-year-old son behind and continued upwards with the boy's older brother. Police ordered him to return, as authorities warned that the mountain's rapidly changing weather can put hikers at risk.Japan's highest mountain, Mount Fuji, 3,776 metres (12,388 feet), seen from a commercial flight in Japan. ( Photo- Reuters)A family hike up Mount Fuji took a dangerous turn after a father left his seven-year-old son alone on the mountain when the exhausted child said he could no longer continue.The boy was found sitting alone on a bench near the sixth station of the Fujinomiya trail at an altitude of more than 2,000 metres on Thursday. A worker at the station spotted the child, brought him inside for shelter and alerted police.CHILD LEFT BEHIND AS FATHER CONTINUES ASCENTThe incident unfolded in the early hours of the morning as the family climbed towards the summit. The seven-year-old reportedly told his father he was too tired to continue.Instead of turning back with his son, the father, from Nagoya, gave the child some snacks and a soft drink and instructed him to wait for him. He then continued climbing with the boy's older brother, who had already moved ahead. The father was reportedly planning a five-hour ascent to the summit, while returning to the spot where he had left his son could have taken around eight hours.POLICE TRACK DOWN FATHER THREE HOURS AHEADBy the time police managed to contact the man, he had reached the eighth station, around a three-hour hike from where his son had been left. Officers ordered him to turn around and return to the child. After the father was reunited with his son, police reprimanded him for leaving the seven-year-old alone on an active volcano."Even if it means having to give up on climbing the mountain together, leaving a child behind is unacceptable," police said, according to Japan Today.'I MADE A RASH DECISION'The father apologised to police and acknowledged that he had made a serious mistake."I made a rash decision, and I deeply regret it," he reportedly said.Police stressed that Mount Fuji can pose serious risks even during the summer. The mountain has its own unpredictable microclimate, with weather conditions capable of changing rapidly. Hypothermia is also a significant danger for hikers.Authorities have urged climbers to consider the physical abilities and stamina of every member of their group before attempting the ascent and to adjust their pace accordingly.- EndsPublished By: Zafar ZaidiPublished On: Aug 23, 2026 02:10 IST