Father Leaves 7-Year-Old Alone on Mount Fuji

Japan’s Highest Mountain

A seven-year-old boy was left behind by his father while hiking on Mount Fuji.

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Because his seven-year-old son grew tired during the climb, a father continued on Mount Fuji without him. The boy waited alone at an altitude of over 2,000 meters for several hours before a mountain lodge employee found him.

Lea Oetiker

Today at 07:50•Today at 09:31Here’s what it’s all aboutA father left his seven-year-old son alone at an altitude of 2,000 meters during a hike up Mount Fuji because the child was tired.A mountain lodge employee found the boy hours later in the rain and fog and alerted the police.The father had to turn back and expressed remorse—the police warned against ever leaving children alone under such conditions.Summary created with

A 7-year-old boy was left behind by his father while hiking on Mount Fuji. The incident occurred on Thursday on the Fujinomiya Trail, as reported by “Japan Today” reported.

The 48-year-old father was out walking with his two sons early in the morning. According to the report, when they reached the sixth of a total of ten stops on the ascent, the 7-year-old complained of tiredness and became fussy.

Instead of cutting the hike short or taking a break, the father reportedly told his younger son to wait there—at an altitude of 2,000 meters. He then continued the climb with his older son.

Shortly before 7:40 a.m., an employee at a nearby mountain hut spotted the boy sitting alone on a bench. It was raining at the time, and fog was rolling in. The employee took the child into the hut and alerted the police.

Left alone for hours

The officers were able to identify and contact the father. He was already at the eighth station at that point and was instructed to turn back and pick up his son. The boy was unharmed and was later reunited with his father.

According to the official mountaineering website, the climb from the sixth to the eighth station takes about three hours. The police therefore believe that the father likely left his son behind around 4:30 a.m.

The police warned the man never to leave a child alone under such circumstances. The father expressed remorse and explained that he had made “a rash decision” that he deeply regretted.

Authorities are urging hikers to always adjust their pace and destinations to accommodate the weakest member of the group.

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