Swiss hiker dies on Mount Fuji as climbing season death toll rises to two

A Swiss tourist has died after collapsing while climbing Mount Fuji, bringing the number of fatalities during this year’s hiking season to two, Japanese authorities said on Friday.

In a separate incident, rescuers successfully evacuated a 99-year-old Japanese woman who sustained injuries while climbing the mountain and spent the night in a mountain hut before being rescued.

Standing at 3,776 metres, Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest peak and has long been regarded as a sacred pilgrimage site. However, it has increasingly attracted large numbers of hikers, including many who underestimate the physical demands of the five- to 10-hour ascent and descent.

In response to overcrowding, overtourism and a growing number of safety incidents involving ill-prepared climbers, Japanese authorities have introduced stricter access regulations in recent years.

Police said the 58-year-old Swiss man lost consciousness during the climb. Although rescuers revived him and rushed him to hospital, he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

The Swiss assisted dying organisation EXIT later identified the deceased as its managing director, Bernhard Sutter, stating that he suffered a medical emergency while on a family holiday in Japan.

His death follows that of a 65-year-old Japanese man who reportedly died on July 17 after falling and striking his head.

On the same day, emergency teams rescued 99-year-old Tome Sagawa after she was injured during her climb and took refuge in a mountain hut overnight.

Police have urged hikers to carefully assess weather conditions and their physical fitness before attempting the climb, advising people to abandon the ascent if they feel unwell or conditions become unsafe.

The warning comes after several recent rescue operations, including a 54-year-old Japanese climber who had to be rescued twice within two days and a Chinese tourist who was rescued after returning outside the official climbing season to retrieve belongings left on the mountain.

To improve safety and manage visitor numbers, Yamanashi Prefecture introduced a daily limit of 4,000 climbers on the popular Yoshida Trail in 2024, along with a climbing fee that was doubled to 4,000 yen in 2025. Shizuoka Prefecture also charges the same fee for access to its three climbing routes.

More than 200,000 people climbed Mount Fuji last year, down from over 220,000 in 2023. Officials recorded nine climbing-related deaths during the 2024 season, while no fatalities were reported in 2025.