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A 23-year-old Chinese tourist visiting Japan was taken by ambulance on May 3 after slipping near Mount Fuji's ninth station while descending during the mountain's seasonal closure, according to SBS News. SoraNews24 reported that he had started before dawn from the Fujinomiya fifth station and was able to make it back down before requesting help.
Key developments
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The accident happened around 9:30 a.m. on May 3 near the Fujinomiya Route's ninth station. Police said the man lost his balance while resting during the descent and slid down, suffering abrasions to his right hand and left arm.
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The man had begun climbing around 1 a.m. from the Fujinomiya fifth station with companions, reached the summit, and was coming down when the fall occurred. SBS reported that he was in Japan as a tourist and was wearing winter-mountaineering gear.
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His injuries were reported as minor. After the fall, he descended to the fifth station under his own power, and an acquaintance called 110 at around 10:30 a.m. asking for an ambulance.
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Police used the case to repeat that Mount Fuji's trails are currently under winter closure. SoraNews24 noted that the official climbing season usually lasts only about two months in midsummer, and cited last year's July 10 Fujinomiya Trail opening as context.
What to watch
The next practical update is likely to be the formal opening schedule and safety guidance for Shizuoka-side Mount Fuji routes, including Fujinomiya. Until those dates are announced, authorities' message remains straightforward: the trails are closed, even if the weather at lower elevations feels mild.
The incident may also feed into existing public debate over whether off-season hikers who ignore closures should bear rescue-related costs. SoraNews24 reported growing calls from some members of the public and politicians for such charges, but no new policy was confirmed in the reports cited.
Sources
- Japan Today: Foreign tourist needs ambulance to pick him up at Mount Fuji after hiking closed trail
- SoraNews24: Foreign tourist needs ambulance to pick him up at Mt. Fuji after hiking closed trail
- SBS News: Shizuoka police report on the May 3 Mount Fuji fall
Photo by Antoine Cantoro on Unsplash
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