Japan is planning to charge Mount Fuji climbers for helicopter rescues during the off-season.
The move by Yamanashi prefecture comes amid a rising number of unplanned and off-season attempts to hike Japan’s highest mountain, according to local media.
Authorities said the proposed charges were aimed at discouraging dangerous and unplanned ascents outside the climbing season.
Under the proposal announced on Monday, any climber going above the sixth station – a point nearly 2,400m above sea level on the Yoshida Trail – during the off-season would need to file a climbing plan beforehand. The plan must include details such as the intended route and equipment.
Authorities will advise climbers to make changes if they believe a proposed route, equipment or other part of the plan is unsafe.
Any climber needing rescue by a prefectural disaster-response helicopter after failing to file a plan would be charged for the operation, Kyodo News reported.
Climbers who submit a plan but ignore it, or fail to follow safety advice from the prefectural authorities, could also be charged for rescue if experts conclude that their equipment, climbing method or other circumstances amount to recklessness.
“I strongly urge people not to climb Mount Fuji,” Yamanashi governor Kotaro Nagasaki said at a news conference on Monday. “I want people to think about those who have to go and rescue them. This is a matter of common sense. Please spare a thought for those who are called out to carry out rescues at the risk of their own lives, and for the worry that this causes their families.”
“We hope that these measures will cause people to rethink what climbing Mount Fuji during the winter is like.”
The prefecture is considering a fee based on helicopter fuel costs. According to NHK Japan, the proposed rate is about 8,000 Japanese yen (£38) for every five minutes of helicopter operation. Authorities are also looking at whether the final charge should cover personnel and other costs.
The new system is expected to go into effect in September 2027.
The prefecture is also planning to make it harder for people to enter the mountain trails during the off season. Barricades and sensors will be used to block access and warn people trying to climb, according to The Japan Times.
Online advertisements will also target overseas visitors and warn them of the risks of climbing Mount Fuji during the winter.
Fuji’s official climbing season lasts from July to September, with over 200,000 hikers attempting the summit annually. During the rest of the year, the trails are closed, and most mountain huts and other support facilities are not operational. Weather and trail conditions can also be much more severe.
The issue gained attention after several off-season rescues. In April last year, a Chinese university student was rescued twice within a few days after climbing on the Shizuoka side of the mountain.
There were 21 climbing accidents and four deaths on the Yamanashi side of Mount Fuji in the seven years to 2025.
Yamanashi’s proposal follows a similar system in Saitama prefecture. Since 2018, Saitama has charged climbers for certain rescues by disaster-response helicopters in designated mountainous areas where operations are considered especially dangerous.
Neighbouring Shizuoka is also considering mandatory climbing registration for off-season ascents.
