Father abandons tired 7-year-old on Mount Fuji, police intervene

A man aged 48 from Nagoya embarked on the Fujinomiya Trail of Mount Fuji with his two sons, a 7-year-old and an older child. When the younger boy expressed that he was tired near the trail’s sixth checkpoint, the father ordered him to stay put and proceeded upward, eventually reaching the eighth checkpoint. Police estimate the father left the child around 4:30 a.m., leaving him alone for several hours.

At approximately 7:40 a.m., a worker at a nearby mountain hut discovered the boy sitting on a bench, brought him inside for shelter, and notified authorities. Officers contacted the father, ordered him to turn around, and the child was safely reunited with his parent. The father admitted his rash decision and expressed regret, while police have not disclosed any pending charges. Officials used the incident to caution hikers to travel at a pace suitable for the least capable member of the group.