Father Scolded by Police for Abandoning 7-Year-Old Son on Mount Fuji

A father has been reprimanded by police after leaving his young son on Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji, the country’s highest peak. The seven-year-old boy was discovered sitting alone on a bench, over 2,000 meters above sea level, amidst foggy and rainy weather.

According to reports, the boy’s father, aged 48, instructed his son to “wait here” when the child expressed fatigue. The father then continued his ascent with his elder son, leaving the younger one behind.

Staff at a nearby mountain hut found the child and promptly alerted the authorities. Police were able to locate the father approximately three hours of hiking distance away, at the eighth station of the route.

Upon his return and reunion with his son, the father was admonished by officers. “Even if it means having to give up on climbing the mountain together, leaving a child behind is unacceptable,” one officer reportedly stated. The father is said to have apologized for his “rash” decision.

The family was hiking the Fujinomiya route, a popular path that begins at the fifth station. Climbing guides suggest the journey to the summit from this point takes about five hours, with a three-hour descent.

Mount Fuji, standing at 3,776 meters, has seen various incidents involving climbers in recent years. The mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage site, attracts around 200,000 climbers annually, with measures in place to manage overcrowding on certain routes.

Source: Nile Post