A Japanese father leaves his 7-year-old son alone for several hours during a climb of Mount Fuji, prompting a police response and warnings from authorities. The boy is found by staff on a hiking route and taken into police custody, according to reports from multiple outlets.
Reports say the child tells staff he becomes tired around the sixth station, located at more than 2,000 meters above sea level. In accounts cited by broadcasters, the father tells the boy to wait while continuing the hike with an older sibling and/or another child. One report says the boy is instructed to wait for about eight hours with only snacks and a soft drink and no money, after which mountain-hut staff alert police.
Authorities in Shizuoka Prefecture contact the father, who is reportedly at the eighth station at the time officers reach him. After returning, the father receives a reprimand from police for leaving the child behind, and he apologizes, according to the coverage. The father is handed over to the boy when he arrives.
