Local gov't mulls charging rescued hikers for Mt. Fuji helicopter use

A Japanese prefecture that shares Mt. Fuji is considering charging rescued individuals for helicopter deployments to the mountain, following a recent string of off-season emergencies, a prefectural government source said Wednesday.The move comes amid growing calls for Yamanashi Prefecture to address accidents caused by reckless climbing. Last month, a 27-year-old Chinese university student was rescued twice in one week after returning to the mountain despite having been rescued during his first attempt due to illness.The prefecture is planning to explore the possibility of introducing the c…READ FULL ARTICLE