On the slopes of горі Фудзі, helicopter rescue will be made available for a fee in the off-season
Префектури Яманасі and Сідзуока have announced plans to charge for disaster relief helicopter calls to горі Фудзі during the off-season. The new system is planned to be implemented in 2027 to stem the flow of climbers risking their lives on the closed mountain.
The official season on горі Фудзі lasts about two months and starts in July, and the rest of the year the four main routes — Маршрут Йосіда, Маршрут Фудзіномія, Subasiri and Маршрут Ґотемба — are closed. In the off-season, mountain huts and medical posts on the routes are not open, and the risk of getting lost due to frost and ice significantly increases. Since there is no direct legal ban on climbing, rescuers from the fire service and police regularly have to carry out dangerous operations.
The fee is planned to be based on the example of префектури Сайтама, where hiring a helicopter costs 8,000 yen for every five minutes of flight. Префектура Яманасі is also developing a separate system for mandatory submission of climbing plans for горі Фудзі, providing discounts or cancellation of the registration fee for those who have taken appropriate safety measures in advance.
Source: 富士山救助ヘリ 閉山期は有料化へ 山梨県、静岡県 無謀な登山を止めるための一手に - 産経ニュース
Context
During the off-season, helicopter rescue operations on the mountain are often delayed by severe weather, putting crews at risk of death. Police helicopters are legally required to evacuate people free of charge, so the financial implications for those rescued currently depend on which service is involved in the search.