Father leaves 7-year-old son alone on Japan' Mount Fuji after boy says he is too tired to climb

A seven-year-old boy was left alone on Japan's Mount Fuji after his father discovered he was too tired to continue the climb, prompting police intervention. The Guardian reported that the child was found sitting alone on a bench near the sixth station of the Fujinomiya trail, at over 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) above sea level. A worker located the boy and brought him to the station for shelter before contacting authorities.

Police took the child into protective custody while searching for his father. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, and the father reportedly left snacks and a soft drink with the boy, telling him to wait. He then continued toward the summit with the boy's older brother, who had already reached the top. The father faced a five-hour climb to the peak, while returning to the point where he left his son could take up to eight hours.

Upon finding the father at Mount Fuji's eighth station, around three hours' hike from where the child was left, officers instructed him to stop and return to his son. The father acknowledged his mistake and apologized, stating, "Even if it means having to give up on climbing the mountain together, leaving a child behind is unacceptable."

Police emphasized the risks associated with hiking Mount Fuji, particularly for families with young children, and urged hikers to consider the physical ability and stamina of all group members before embarking on the journey.