Fujinomiya City Mayor Hidetada Sudo criticized climbers who ignore the winter closure of Mt. Fuji, suggesting they should pay for their own rescue costs [2].

These statements follow a trend of reckless mountaineering that endangers both the climbers and the emergency personnel tasked with saving them. The mayor's comments highlight a growing tension between public safety regulations and the actions of individuals who disregard official warnings during high-risk seasons.

Sudo said Tuesday regarding the dangers of ascending the mountain during its closed period. He specifically referred to a slip accident that occurred last month, which resulted in at least one death [1]. The mayor said that those who ignore the closure are not taking personal responsibility and that the idea of simply being rescued after a reckless act is unacceptable.

"It is not becoming a matter of personal responsibility. To think that if you get stranded, you can just be rescued — that is an outrageous story," Sudo said [1].

Beyond the risk to the climbers, Sudo said the psychological and physical toll on rescue teams is a concern. He noted that the possibility of a secondary accident, where rescuers themselves are injured or killed, is a primary concern for city leadership.

"If a secondary disaster were to occur, their families, we, the supervisors, and especially I in the position of mayor, could not endure it. It would turn into anger," Sudo said [1].

To deter such behavior, Sudo said he believes rescue costs should be the responsibility of the individual [2]. This proposal aims to shift the financial burden from the municipality to the climber, serving as a preventive measure against future violations of the closure rules.

Fujinomiya City, located in Shizuoka Prefecture, manages a significant portion of the mountain's access points. The city continues to urge visitors to adhere to the official climbing seasons to avoid fatal accidents during the winter months.

“"It is not becoming a matter of personal responsibility."”

The proposal to charge for rescue operations represents a shift toward a 'user-pays' model for emergency services in high-risk zones. By framing reckless climbing as a failure of personal responsibility rather than a simple accident, the city is attempting to create a financial deterrent to reduce the frequency of dangerous winter ascents and protect the safety of first responders.