Civil servant dies on Mt Fuji

Stacy Shi

A 58-year-old Hong Kong civil servant died while hiking with his wife on Mount Fuji in Japan on Monday, the first fatal incident since the country's tallest peak opened up the trails on July 1.

According to Japanese media reports, Lawrence Wong was a civil servant employed by the Trade and Industry Department.

The department yesterday expressed its deepest sympathy and said it is in contact with the family and will provide assistance.

The Immigration Department said it has received requests for assistance, and followed up the case through the commissioner's office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here and the Chinese embassy in Tokyo.

"The department will continue to maintain close communication with the family, the office and the embassy to actively follow up the case and provide practical assistance according to the wishes of the family."

Yamanashi prefecture police were quoted as saying Wong and his wife started their climb around

1.30 pm on Monday from the fifth station in the Narusawa village, Yamanashi, which is at an altitude of 2,305 meters.

When they reached the eighth station, 3,100 meters high, around

8.30 pm, Wong said he felt sick and lost consciousness soon after.

A passing hiker alerted staff at a hut. Wong was then taken to a nearby first-aid station, where he was declared dead by a doctor.

Police are investigating. Wong was reportedly fully equipped for hiking.

Although the mercury is set to surpass 20 degrees Celsius the coming week at Narusawa village, the temperature at the 3,100-meter mark on Mount Fuji was around 10 degrees, and four degrees at the peak, according to the Japan Weather Association website.

Yamanashi has launched measures to regulate hikers this year, including limiting their numbers to 4,000 a day and charging each of them 2,000 yen (HK$96). It also set up a gate at the trail entrance at the fifth station, which is the most used entrance, and closed it from 4 pm to 3 am to stop climbers.