Yamanashi Pref. Plans to Raise Entry Fee for Mt. Fuji Climbers

Kofu, Yamanashi Pref., Nov. 25 (Jiji Press)--The prefectural government of Yamanashi, west of Tokyo, plans to raise the entry fee for Mount Fuji climbers from the current 2,000 yen to between 3,000 yen and 5,000 yen, informed sources said Monday.

The prefecture aims to merge this fee with a separate charge collected on a voluntary basis for conservation cooperation, set at 1,000 yen per climber, for the highest mountain in the country.

Local communities have complained that the voluntary payments are complicated and confusing.

With Mount Fuji straddling Yamanashi and the neighboring prefecture of Shizuoka, the Shizuoka prefectural government is considering starting to collect an entry fee of 3,000 yen to 5,000 yen per climber from next summer, after ending the existing voluntary conservation cooperation payment.

The Yamanashi government has shown to local communities three plans for raising the entry fee, to 3,000 yen, 4,000 yen and 5,000 yen per person.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]