"Mayor Proposes Rescue Fees for Off-Season Climbers After Man Rescued Twice on Mount Fuji"

Japan's Mount Fuji recently made international news after the same man had to be rescued from it twice within the same week. (The second time was because he returned to get his phone he'd dropped during the first rescue.) Mount Fuji has an on-season and off-season for climbing, and this man did it in the off-season, when you're specifically told not to climb up the mountain. A local mayor is so frustrated by this man and others needing rescues during the off-season that he suggested a new idea: make them pay for their own rescues.

So far the government bears the brunt of rescue costs. But Hidetada Sudo, the mayor of Fujinomiya, said publicly, "They [the climbers] are not listening to the warnings and selfishly choosing to climb [in the off-season]. The cost of rescue operations is tremendous, so shouldn't the burden of paying those costs be carried by the people requiring [off-season] rescues? They have a responsibility for the results of their actions."

He didn't want to sound callous about the lives of hikers getting stuck on Mount Fuji during the off-season, stressing that their lives are precious. But he also pointed out that these hikers are potentially endangering the lives of the rescue crews who have to come after them.

"Because there is no rule [for off-season hikers to pay for their own rescue], they have a carefree attitude about climbing [during the off-season] and asking to be rescued."

He also noted, "They are taking Mount Fuji too lightly."

Some of the hikers who have had to be rescued during the off-season have said they decided to climb the mountain despite the warnings because "I liked the idea of the adventure" and "The mountain is there, so I wanted to climb it."

This year's Mount Fuji's climbing season will begin in July and conclude in early September.

Source: SoraNews24

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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.

 

Source:Otakuusamagazine

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