Mount Iwate in northern Japan has been closed to hikers since October 2024 due to increased volcanic activity. (Ministry of the Environment of Japan)
A U.S. service member was rescued unharmed after going missing during a solo hike on a volcano in northern Japan that has been closed due to increased activity, Japanese police said Wednesday.
The 26-year-old man, assigned to Misawa Air Base, began his hike Saturday on Mount Iwate in Iwate prefecture, about 60 miles southwest of the base, a prefectural police spokesman said by phone.
Mount Iwate has been closed to hikers since October 2024 because of heightened volcanic activity, according to the prefecture’s website.
The service member called a friend during the descent to say the weather had worsened and that he had taken shelter at the eighth station, the spokesman said. When the friend was unable to reach him again, the incident was reported to the base, which then notified local police around 7 p.m.
Seven base personnel joined the search and found the service member at the shelter, the spokesman said. He was uninjured and left the mountain at 7:31 a.m. Sunday.
Some Japanese government officials are required to speak to the media on condition of anonymity.
The 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa acknowledged email and phone inquiries Wednesday but did not immediately provide a response.
Stars and Stripes reporter Alex Wilson contributed to this report.
AloJapan.com