Mount Fuji Crowds Shrink After Japan Brings in Over-Tourism Measures 

This photo taken on September 10, 2024 shows the temporary gate at the Yoshida Exit at the 5th station of Mount Fuji being closed to coincide with the end of the summer mountain climbing season, at Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi prefecture. (AFP)
This photo taken on September 10, 2024 shows the temporary gate at the Yoshida Exit at the 5th station of Mount Fuji being closed to coincide with the end of the summer mountain climbing season, at Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi prefecture. (AFP)
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Mount Fuji Crowds Shrink After Japan Brings in Over-Tourism Measures 

This photo taken on September 10, 2024 shows the temporary gate at the Yoshida Exit at the 5th station of Mount Fuji being closed to coincide with the end of the summer mountain climbing season, at Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi prefecture. (AFP)
This photo taken on September 10, 2024 shows the temporary gate at the Yoshida Exit at the 5th station of Mount Fuji being closed to coincide with the end of the summer mountain climbing season, at Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi prefecture. (AFP)

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.

Officials raised the alarm last year about overtourism at the once-peaceful pilgrimage site, with the local governor of Yamanashi region warning that "Mount Fuji is screaming".

This summer the environment ministry counted around 178,000 climbers, compared to more than 200,000 the previous year and before the pandemic.

Gates to the trails were closed on Tuesday, marking the end of the hiking season. The preliminary data runs to September 4 and will be updated on a later date, a ministry official told AFP on Wednesday.

The mountain is covered in snow most of the year but during the summer many trudge through the night to see the sunrise from the 3,776-meter (12,388-foot) summit.

This year, an entry fee of 2,000 yen ($14) plus an optional donation was charged on the popular Yoshida Trail, with numbers capped at 4,000 per day. The three other trails remained free.

Concern had been raised that some climbers were sleeping on the trail or starting fires for heat, while others became sick or injured after trying to reach the summit without breaks.

Mount Fuji is about two hours from central Tokyo by train and can be seen for miles around.

The majestic mountain is a symbol of Japan that has been immortalized in countless artworks, including Hokusai's "Great Wave".



King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority Joins IUCN Green List

The Green List provides crucial guidelines for conservation and involving stakeholders in sustainable development processes - SPA
The Green List provides crucial guidelines for conservation and involving stakeholders in sustainable development processes - SPA
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King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority Joins IUCN Green List

The Green List provides crucial guidelines for conservation and involving stakeholders in sustainable development processes - SPA
The Green List provides crucial guidelines for conservation and involving stakeholders in sustainable development processes - SPA

The King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has announced its inclusion in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green List.
This recognition follows a comprehensive assessment of the reserve by IUCN experts, who evaluated the authority's environmental and developmental accomplishments, as well as its engagement with the community and preservation efforts, SPA reported.
Authority CEO Abdullah Al-Amer emphasized the significance of this milestone, stating: "Since its establishment, the authority has pursued strategies, development plans, and innovative initiatives to fulfill its core objectives. Through these endeavors, we have successfully met all the key criteria and indicators for joining the IUCN Green List."
Al-Amer attributed this to the support lent by the Saudi leadership and the guidance from Minister of Interior and Chairman of the authority Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz.
Inclusion in the Green List adds to the authority's local and global successes, including receiving the Biodiversity Certificate and designating five critical bird sites within the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve.
Al-Amer stressed that making it on the list is testimony to an effective reserve management and focus on natural resource growth; it now facilitates the growth of over 550 plant species.
The authority's initiatives include planting 2.4 million native tree and shrub seedlings, as well as four tons of local seeds like yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Artemisia, and Haloxylon.
Efforts have been made to restore 250,000 hectares of degraded habitats and relocate 1,235 wildlife species like Arabian oryx, sand gazelles, Arabian gazelles, and Arabian leopards in the reserve.
The authority's achievements are due to its strategic objectives; being on the Green List is a key milestone.
This authority is determined to manage protected areas through sustainable programs focused on environmental conservation, community engagement, and sustainable development, in line with international standards.