Japan police warn cyclists after tourists near Mt. Fuji follow car routes onto expressways

KOFU -- The Yamanashi Prefectural Police and tourism groups are intensifying efforts to prevent foreign tourists from inadvertently entering expressways while cycling in the Fuji Five Lakes region. This issue has arisen due to tourists following routes generated by smartphone map applications that are often set to automobile mode.

On July 22, around 2:30 p.m., four foreign tourists cycling on rented bikes mistakenly entered the Higashi-Fujigoko Road from Yamanakako Interchange (IC). Police responded to the incident and found no serious consequences, as the cyclists had not realized they had entered an expressway. The cycling road race at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics utilized a route that passed through Lake Yamanakako and other areas, which many tourists continue to follow using rental bicycles.

From 2022 to 2025, 167 cases of accidental expressway entry were recorded in the prefecture, with 94 of those cases involving foreign nationals. People aged 20 to 30 accounted for 51.5% of the incidents. Although the annual number of cases has remained steady around 50 in recent years, the percentage of foreign visitors has been increasing.

In 2025, 27 of the 33 incidents in the Fuji Five Lakes area involved foreign nationals. Entering an expressway by bicycle or moped can potentially violate Japan's Road Traffic Act, and while no accidents have been reported so far, officials warn of the possibility of serious accidents occurring. To address this issue, the prefectural police held a meeting last year with Central Nippon Expressway Co. and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

As a result, English-language banners warning against unauthorized expressway entry were installed at Fujiyoshida IC, and road markings were repainted. Multilingual awareness flyers in English, Chinese, and other languages are being distributed through rental bicycle shops. However, outreach efforts are being challenged by the rise of contactless online rental services and the entry of new overseas operators.

In a follow-up meeting held this July, 19 representatives from organizations such as the Fujikawaguchiko Town Tourism Association and Yamanakako tourist association confirmed their commitment to providing guidance on how to set map applications and collaborating in identifying bicycle rental operators. Police Commander Kyodai Ogawa emphasized the need for public cooperation, urging the public to contact police at 110 or call the road emergency hotline at #9910 if they witness someone mistakenly entering an expressway.