Two British tourists in Japan, a 30-year-old man and 29-year-old woman, were rescued after attempting to climb Mount Yōtei, a 1,898-meter mountain in Hokkaido and the namesake of the upcoming PlayStation 5 title Ghost of Yōtei. The couple was reportedly lightly dressed and became stranded due to the unbearable cold, requiring rescue via police helicopter.
According to UHB, the British man contacted the police after he and the woman found it too cold to get to the nearest shelter. The two were located near Mount Yōtei’s ninth station, around 1,750 meters above sea level, and the final station before the summit. They were rescued by a local Hokkaido Prefectural Police helicopter roughly 30 minutes after the call was placed.
Upon examining and questioning the survivors, police found that neither of them were dressed appropriately for the trek, with the man wearing a long-sleeved shirt and shorts and the woman wearing short sleeves and pants. Though the woman was taken to the hospital, her symptoms were mild and did not require treatment. Reportedly, neither of them had knowledge or previous experience in mountain climbing.
Mount Yōtei isn’t quite as tall as the 3,776-meter Mount Fuji, but it still plays host to some harsh weather. While the lower areas of the mountain aren’t so bad, it gets much colder on higher altitudes. Given their lack of mountaineering experience and improper attire, it’s a wonder the two tourists made it to the ninth station.
Inexperienced and unprepared tourists requiring rescue after attempting to climb tall mountains (especially Fuji) is an unexpectedly common occurrence in Japan, and it garners criticism from locals almost each time it happens. Rescues are covered by public funds, and due to them being very expensive (flying out helicopters costs about $3k USD per hour), time-consuming, and life-threatening for the rescue crews, many Japanese people see it as a big burden. It has come to the point that local mayors are making petitions to get those stranded to shoulder the cost instead. The case of the British couple has likewise prompted backlash, as users on X point out that it’s Japanese taxpayers’ money that’s covering the expenses.
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