Ten years have passed since the UNESCO World Heritage Committee inscribed Japan’s highest peak, Mount Fuji, as a World Cultural Heritage Site.
The committee did so on June 22, 2013.
The number of climbers fluctuated between 200,000 and 300,000 after Mount Fuji was declared a World Heritage Site. The mountain straddles the central prefectures of Shizuoka and Yamanashi.
The coronavirus pandemic has the number of falling. But Shizuoka Prefecture says this year it is expected to exceed 200,000 for the first time in 4 years.
Meanwhile, prefectural officials are taking steps to cope with demanding situations, such as reducing traffic congestion, protecting climbers and protecting the environment.
A UNESCO advisory framework warned that the increased number of climbers would compromise the mountain as a World Cultural Heritage Site.
Some other people explicitly fear that not all climbers will stick to the rules, adding to bring garbage home, amid a growing number of climbers, adding those who do not understand Japanese well. They also say that cases of night climbing without taking enough breaks can only increase.
The Shizuoka government says its most sensible priority is to make certain climbers enjoy Mount Fuji in a fun way. He says he will work with Yamanashi Prefecture and local municipalities to teach others how to achieve that end.