‘Wait here, I’m going to the summit’: Japanese father leaves tired 7-year-old son alone on a, sparks outrage

A Japanese father has faced backlash after allegedly leaving his seven-year-old son alone on Mount Fuji while continuing towards the summit with his elder son. The 48-year-old man was trekking with his two sons on Thursday when the younger boy, a first-grade student from Nagoya, reportedly said he was tired at the sixth station of the Fujinomiya trail, at an elevation of about 2,490 metres.

Instead of stopping the climb or returning with the child, the father allegedly told him to wait there before continuing towards the summit with his elder son, a first-year middle school student. The boy was later found sitting alone on a bench by a mountain hut worker at around 7:40 am. As heavy rain began to fall, the worker took the child inside the hut and alerted authorities.

Police later contacted the father, warned him that leaving a child unattended was unacceptable and returned the boy to him.

The criticism on social media

The incident has sparked criticism on Japanese social media, with users questioning the father's decision to leave the child alone in mountainous terrain.

"Not accepted," one user wrote, while another described the incident as "horrific". The father reportedly expressed regret over his decision, telling authorities: "I made a rash decision, and I deeply regret it."

Authorities have advised hikers to consider the abilities and stamina of everyone in their group when planning a climb. They stressed that hikers should adjust their pace and plans according to the least experienced or least physically capable member, rather than leaving anyone behind.