NNN Reporter: Those people that are probably tourists are getting off the bus one after another…

On May 20, many tourists visited the fifth station of the World Heritage Site, Mt. Fuji.

Chinese Tour Guide: Everyone wants to visit Mt. Fuji. It’s really beautiful!

This year’s climbing season starts on July 1.

However, starting this year on the Yoshida Route…

NNN Reporter: Yamanashi Prefecture will set up a gate at this end to limit the number of people allowed and for how long they’re allowed on the mountain.

Previously, climbers on the Yoshida Route only were requested to pay a voluntary cooperation fee, but starting this July, a mandatory toll of 2,000 yen per person will be collected.

The route will also have a limit of 4,000 climbers per day, excluding those who have booked a stay at the overnight mountain lodges.

The reservations for this year’s climbing season of Mt. Fuji started on May 20.

Reservations to climb Mt. Fuji can only be made online, and require climbers to register their name, the date of their climb, and pay the required toll...

NNN Reporter: Once registered, you receive a QR code by email.

On the day of the climb, users will need to hold this QR code over a scanner at the gate.

The reason behind Yamanashi Prefecture's decision to impose restrictions is the heavy crowding on the trails.

On the busiest days, the mountain paths are completely filled with climbers, resulting in complete deadlock.

Furthermore, there is a need for countermeasures against overtourism, which is leading to dangerous "Bullet Climbing" and other dangerous behavior.

Mt. Fuji visitor: I'm in favor of restricting access to the mountain, because I've heard a lot about people climbing in unsuitable light clothing, and I think it would put a stop to that.

According to Yamanashi Prefecture, the number of 4,000 visitors per day was calculated and set based on congestion and other factors.

However, last year's season only had five days that exceeded 4,000 climbers in a day.

As 4,000 people are able to climb each day there is no rush to book, but those with confirmed climbing schedules are encouraged to reserve in advance online.

Additionally, Yamanashi Prefecture has now launched another congestion countermeasure...

A concept of a trainline to climb Mt. Fuji.

Called the “Fuji Subaru Line”, it will connect the foot of the mountain to the fifth station.

The plan is to use Light rail transit, or LRTs, on the rail line.

Based on a round-trip fare of 10,000 yen, the prefecture is estimating that about 3 million passengers would use the line per year.

Yamanashi Prefecture also says it can control the number of visitors by adjusting the number of trains running and aims to improve air pollution caused by exhaust gases.

Tourist: We might want to try it out if there was a trainline, but since we have a dog, I don’t think we’d be able to.

However, there’s are also people against the new rail line concept.

Jomonji Atsushi, Representative, Mt. Fuji railway concept opposition group: Mt. Fuji is a sacred mountain and is therefore an object of worship, and any further alteration to it would be contrary to that belief.

Starting last month, the group along with volunteers from lodge associations, tourism federations and others, collected around 24,000 signatures as of last week.

Further reasons for opposing the railway were...

Jomonji Atsushi, Representative, Mt. Fuji railway concept opposition group: If they dig up the mountain to build it, there is considerable concern that the ground may loosen or something like that.

Just last month, several slush flows occurred on Mt. Fuji.

Some of the roads were made temporarily unusable.

Mt. Fuji is also an active volcano and is prone to falling rocks, which is raising questions about the safety of construction on the mountain.

In response, the prefecture says it will take safety measures against landslides.

Even the mayor of Fujiyoshida, which is at the base of the mountain, had this to say…

Horiuchi Shigeru, Mayor, Fujiyoshida City: I think we could accomplish the exact same thing by using electric buses. We wouldn’t have to spend an unnecessary amount of money to implement it, and we wouldn’t have to harm nature either.

The prefecture plans to hold information meetings for local residents in order to gain local understanding for the project.