Mount Fuji rescue fee proposal
Japan's Yamanashi prefecture, which governs the northern side of Mount Fuji, announced it will begin charging climbers a helicopter rescue fee starting next year if they attempt off-season ascents and require evacuation, part of a broader push to deter poorly prepared hikers. The fee will be modeled on a similar charge already in place in neighboring Saitama prefecture, which bills 8,000 yen (about $51) per five minutes of rescue helicopter use. Yamanashi will also require anyone planning an off-season climb -- defined as early September through the following July -- to submit detailed climbing plans in advance. 'We ask the general public to refrain from climbing during the off-season,' said Yamanashi Governor Kotaro Nagasaki, adding that officials hope the new measures prompt people to reconsider winter attempts on the mountain.
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As it ran
16 September 2026
- Japan to charge rescue fee on Mount Fuji during off season BBC News
- Got lost on Mount Fuji? You'll have to pay for your rescue BBC News
- Got lost on Mount Fuji off-season? You'll have to pay for your rescue BBC News
- Japan to charge rescue fee on Mount Fuji during off-season BBC News
- Lost on Mount Fuji off-season? You'll have to pay for your rescue BBC News