Father Left Tired 7-Year-Old Son Alone On Mount Fuji During Hike

A father who abandoned his 7-year-old son on Mount Fuji while continuing to hike with an older sibling has been warned by Japanese authorities that he could face criminal charges. The boy was discovered sitting alone at a mountain hut at the sixth station of the Fujinomiya trail on Thursday (August 21), approximately 8,200 feet above sea level.

The child told his father he was tired at the sixth station, which sits at an altitude of more than 6,500 feet. When the boy’s older brother had gone ahead, the father reportedly told his younger son to “wait here” and continued climbing with his other child.

The boy was instructed to wait for eight hours with only snacks and a soft drink, and no money. A worker at the mountain hut spotted the child sitting alone and alerted police to the situation.

Officers contacted the father, who had reached the eighth station by that point. Police handed the boy over to his father when he returned to retrieve him. A local police officer in Shizuoka Prefecture confirmed that authorities gave the man a stern warning for leaving the child behind.

The father reportedly apologized to police and admitted his actions were careless. Authorities warned him that he could face criminal charges for child endangerment, though no formal charges have been filed at this time.

Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest peak and attracts thousands of climbers during the summer season. Weather conditions can change rapidly at high altitudes, and temperatures can drop significantly even during warmer months.