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Fewer climbers tackled Mount Fuji during this year’s hiking season, preliminary figures show, after Japanese authorities introduced an entry fee and a daily cap on numbers to fight overtourism.
Online reservations were also brought in this year by officials concerned about safety and environmental damage on the country’s highest mountain.
The number of climbers fell by 14 percent between early July — when the volcano’s hiking trails opened for the summer — and early September, according to the environment ministry.
To calculate its preliminary figures, the ministry used infrared devices installed on the four trails.
It comes despite Japan welcoming a record influx of foreign visitors, with nearly 18 million tourists entering the country in the first half of 2024.
