A father hiking Mount Fuji with his two sons left his younger son on the mountain for several hours on Thursday, after the 7-year-old grew tired.
The trio had reached the Fujinomiya Trail’s sixth of 10 stations when the younger boy said he was tired.
The 48-year-old father from Nagoya told the boy to “wait here,” then continued up the mountain with his older son toward the summit.
According to the Mt. Fuji Climbing Official Website, the hike from the trail’s sixth station to the summit takes a little over five hours, with the descent back down to that same point taking slightly more than two and a half hours.
Approximately three hours after the boy was left alone, a worker at a mountain hut spotted the child sitting alone on a bench and called police.
When officers arrived, they were able to identify the father and reach him by phone. Officers told the father to return and retrieve his son.
The father reportedly appeared remorseful, telling police, “I made a rash decision, and I deeply regret it.”
Police have not indicated whether the father will face any formal charges or penalties.
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