The boy was found alone on a hiking route on Thursday and taken into police custody, a local police officer in the Shizuoka region told AFP on Saturday.
The child told his father he was tired at the sixth station of the mountain, which is located at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters, local SBS TV reported.
As his older brother had gone on ahead, the seven-year-old's father told him to "wait here" and carried on hiking with his other son, according to SBS.
General view of cherry blossom trees with Mount Fuji in the background at Lake Kawaguchiko, Fujikawaguchiko, Japan, April 14, 2024. Photo by Reuters
TV Asahi said that the boy was told to wait for eight hours with only snacks and a soft drink and no money, citing staff at a mountain hut who alerted police to his presence.
