Camilla Jessen
A Chinese student ignored warnings and had to be rescued twice from Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji.
A young student was rescued twice within a few days on Japan’s highest mountain — because he desperately wanted to retrieve his lost cell phone.
The case sparked heated discussions about safety and personal responsibility in mountaineering.
First Rescue at 3,000 Meters’ Altitude
According to BBC, the 27-year-old Chinese student’s plan to climb Mount Fuji outside of the official season ended with two dramatic rescues within just four days.
The student, who lives in Japan, climbed the Fujinomiya Trail on Tuesday, a route about 3,000 meters above sea level.
When he lost his crampons, which were supposed to keep him steady on the icy path, he was no longer able to complete the descent on his own. Authorities had to rescue him by helicopter, as confirmed by the police in Shizuoka, among others.
Return for the Mobile Phone — and Another Rescue
Despite the danger he had experienced, the student returned to the mountain just a few days later.
The reason: he wanted to find personal belongings, including his lost cell phone. But this second attempt also turned into an emergency.
On Saturday, rescue workers had to save him again after he developed symptoms of altitude sickness.
According to authorities, his life is no longer in danger.
Warnings of Dangerous Conditions Ignored
Environmental conditions on Mount Fuji are extreme outside of the official climbing season, which begins in early July and ends in early September. All routes to the summit are currently officially closed.
The Ministry of the Environment and the police in Shizuoka again issued a strong warning about the risks: sudden changes in the weather could make rescue operations considerably more difficult, and medical aid points along the trails would also be unavailable.
A wave of criticism erupted on social media after the case became public.
Users on X demanded that the student bear the costs of both rescues himself, as he had deliberately ignored official warnings.
Mount Fuji, famous for its near-perfect cone shape, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. To better control the growing crowds, Japanese authorities have increased climbing fees in recent years. In 2023 alone, over 220,000 people climbed the 3,776-meter-high summit during the permitted season.