Father leaves 7-year-old son alone on Mount Fuji to continue hike, reports say
A 48-year-old father was reprimanded by police after leaving his seven-year-old son alone on Mount Fuji to continue his climb. The child was found safe by mountain hut staff, and the father has since apologized for the decision.
Why it matters
The incident highlights safety concerns and the dangers of climbing Mount Fuji, which has seen a series of recent rescue operations.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, The boy was found alone on Japan's highest mountain
A father has been reprimanded by police after leaving his son on Japan's highest mountain for several hours with just a soft drink and snack, local media report.
The seven-year-old was spotted sitting on a bench on Mount Fuji in foggy and rainy conditions, at a point situated at over 2,000m (6,500ft).
His father, 48, reportedly told him to "wait here" after the boy complained he was tired - and continued the climb with his elder son.
Staff at a mountain hut found the child near the sixth station of a hiking route towards the summit and alerted police. His father was tracked down at the route's eighth station - said to be a three-hour hike away.
According to reports, the boy was found on his own at 07:30 local time on Thursday (22:30 GMT).
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