Climbing limits are being set on Mount Fuji to fight crowds and littering

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Those who want to climb one of the most popular trails on Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji will have to book a slot and pay a fee soon. Crowds, littering and climbers who try to rush too fast to the summit are causing safety and conservation concerns at the picturesque stratovolcano. Yamanashi prefecture said Monday it introduced new rules for the climbing season starting July 1 for those hiking the Yoshida Trail on the Yamanashi side of the nearly 12,300 feet-high mountain. Only 4,000 climbers will be allowed to enter the trail per day for a fee of about $18. More than 220,000 people climbed the mountain last year.