Police rebuked the 48-year-old after his son was found alone near Mount Fuji’s sixth station in rain and fog while he continued climbing with his older childynet|A father in Japan was reprimanded by police after leaving his 7-year-old son alone on Mount Fuji in rain and fog so he could continue climbing toward the summit with his older child, Japanese media reported.The incident happened Thursday morning on Japan’s highest mountain, where rapidly changing weather can make climbing conditions dangerous. The 48-year-old father, a tourist from Nagoya, had set out to climb the 3,776-meter mountain with his two sons, ages 7 and 12 or 13, according to Japan Today.Gallery Mount Fuji (Photo: shtterstock)The three were climbing the Fujinomiya Trail, where many hikers begin near the fifth station at roughly 2,400 meters. Near the sixth station, at an altitude of about 2,490 meters, the younger boy reportedly became restless and complained that he was tired.Instead of waiting for him to recover or abandoning the attempt to reach the summit, the father reportedly told him, “Wait here,” gave him snacks and a soft drink, and continued uphill with the older boy.At around 7:30 a.m., a worker at one of the mountain stations found the child sitting alone on a bench as rain fell and fog began to build.The worker brought him inside and contacted police. Officers then reached the father, who had already made it to the eighth station, at approximately 3,250 meters, and ordered him to return.It is not clear exactly how long the child had been left unsupervised. Japan Today noted that the official Mount Fuji climbing website estimates it takes about three hours to climb from the sixth station to the eighth, meaning the boy may have been left alone at around 4:30 a.m.Had the child not been found, he potentially could have remained alone for many more hours. The climb from the sixth station to the summit takes a little more than five hours, with another roughly two and a half hours needed for the descent.Police reprimanded the father after he reunited with his son. “Leaving a child behind is unacceptable,” officers reportedly told him. No additional punishment or referral to welfare authorities was reported.The father apologized, saying: “I made a reckless decision, and I deeply regret it.” Police later warned Mount Fuji climbers about the dangers of leaving members of their group behind and urged hikers to match their pace and ambitions to the stamina of everyone traveling with them.A 99-year-old woman was rescued there last month. Mount Fuji from the air (Photo: AFP)Mount Fuji is known for highly unpredictable weather, with visibility and ground conditions capable of deteriorating quickly. More than 220,000 people climb the mountain during the July-to-September season, with many hiking overnight in hopes of watching the sunrise from the summit.The mountain also holds deep cultural and religious significance in Japan and has been regarded as sacred for centuries. Authorities in recent years have introduced entrance fees and limits on visitor numbers in an effort to reduce overcrowding.Mount Fuji remains an active volcano. It has erupted around 20 times in recorded Japanese history, most recently between December 1707 and January 1708.The mountain has also seen several recent rescue incidents. Last month, a 99-year-old woman was rescued after falling and injuring her pelvis and back. Last year, a 27-year-old climber had to be rescued twice within four days after returning to the mountain to search for a phone he had lost.