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The policy of increasing fees and tightening regulations for mountain climbing has brought a breakthrough success for Japanese local authorities in the 2025 climbing season. Mount Fuji – a 3,776-meter-high symbol of tourism and culture in Japan – has recently faced overcrowding, reckless climbing, and an increase in cases of people getting stuck, even fatalities.
However, according to the latest statistics from local police, after implementing strict measures, the number of people stranded on the mountain has decreased sharply by 44% compared to 2024, and notably, no deaths were reported during the official climbing season.
Thanks to stricter regulations on climbing times and increased entrance fees, the number of incidents involving visitors climbing Mount Fuji in the summer has decreased sharply, with no fatalities recorded.
The Mount Fuji climbing season typically runs from July to the end of September each year, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists. During the 2025 climbing season, the total number of climbers using the trails from Shizuoka Prefecture remained high, at approximately 84,000. However, only 36 people required rescue assistance, a significant decrease compared to 64 in the 2024 climbing season. Most notably, no fatalities were recorded in 2025, whereas 6 deaths were recorded in 2024.
The main cause of previous incidents of getting stuck and needing assistance often stemmed from unsafe and unprepared behavior on the part of climbers. "Bullet climbing," where many tourists attempt to reach the summit of the 3,776-meter mountain in a single night without sleeping in campsites along the way, leads to severe exhaustion and fatigue.
The Mount Fuji climbing season lasts from July to the end of September each year, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists. This year, approximately 84,000 people climbed from the Shizuoka prefecture side.
Many mountaineers show recklessness by carrying too little equipment or dressing too casually, such as wearing only T-shirts, shorts, and sandals, which are completely unsuitable for the harsh weather conditions at high altitudes.
To address this situation, the Shizuoka Prefectural government implemented two main measures: increasing entrance fees and imposing strict time restrictions. Specifically, the entrance fee was doubled to 4,000 yen (approximately 660,000 VND). At the same time, access to the trails was prohibited from 2 PM the previous day to 3 AM the following day, unless guests had made prior reservations and had confirmed their stay at mountain lodges.
Similar measures have also been implemented in Yamanashi Prefecture, home to another popular trail up Mount Fuji. As a result, the prefecture has also seen a significant decrease in mountain rescue cases since the measures were implemented in 2024.
The Shizuoka prefectural government is currently considering imposing additional fines and requiring reckless climbers to pay for helicopter rescue operations as a deterrent.
Although the benefits during the official climbing season are evident, safety challenges persist outside of this time. Serious accidents have been reported when the mountain is closed, often involving visitors unaware of regulations or acting impulsively. In June 2024, three Japanese men, aged between 30 and 50, were found dead near the crater rim.
In 2025, an American citizen over 60 years old was rescued after suffering hypothermia while attempting to climb a mountain during a closure. Another notable case occurred in April 2025, when a Chinese university student was airlifted to safety. Four days later, due to impulsiveness, he was rescued a second time when he tried to return to the mountain to retrieve his forgotten phone.
These incidents highlight the need to raise awareness about the dangers of climbing during the closed season – especially for international tourists unfamiliar with the regulations, as well as local people who climb on their own.
