Father, 48, abandons seven-year-old son on Mount Fuji to continue hike to summit

The child, from Nagoya, was found alone sitting on a bench by a trail on Mount Fuji in fog and rain on Thursday and taken into police custody, local police said.

A father has been reprimanded by police after leaving his son on Japan's highest mountain for several hours with just a soft drink and snack.

The man had taken his two boys on the trip but is said to have left one behind when he got tired.

Boy, 7, left alone on Mount Fuji after his father decided to continue hike without him  GB News

Police officers gave the man a telling-off for leaving the child behind.

The boy was told to wait for eight hours with only snacks and a soft drink and no money, staff at a mountain hut told police.

Police reprimanded the father over the decision and warned that leaving a child behind was unacceptable.

Dad ditched son, 7, halfway up Mount Fuji so he could reach the summit Emily Bashforth | Live News reporter Published August 21, 2026 5:35pm Updated August 22, 2026 12:56pm A schoolboy’s father was scolded by police after abandoning him on Mount Fuji (Picture: Richard A. Brooks/AFP via Getty Images) ‘Wait here,’ is wha

A seven-year-old boy was allegedly left behind by his father while climbing Mount Fuji, Japan's highest summit

Father leaves 7-year-old son alone on Mount Fuji and tells him to wait eight hours  MARCA