Japanese Authorities Plan To Build A Light Train Line On Mount Fuji, Transporting 3 Million Climbers Every Year

Mount Fuji (Wikimedia Commons/Fabio Achilli) climbing route

JAKARTA - A light train transport service proposed to connect Mount Fuji's feet to the 5th station will be able to carry 3.36 million passengers annually, according to a recent report from local governments in Japan.

Yamanashi Prefecture proposes a double rail line that operates a two-car train every six minutes for 10 hours per day, reported by Kyodo News November 1.

The move is meant to unravel the flow of summer tourists while reducing vehicle emissions, according to a temporary report.

The line will stretch along Fuji Subaru's Route, a road to the 5th station that serves as the starting point to one of the most popular hiking trails on the mountain.

Due to opposition from local residents, the prefecture plans to outline the future direction of the project at the end of the year after receiving input.

"There are challenges, but they can be achieved," the Governor of Yamanashi Kotaro HUMANd said at a press conference at the end of October.

The prefecture projects capital investments to amount to 148.6 billion yen, which is considered optimal for the prefectural government to build rails, while private companies operate trains.

Assuming 3 million passengers per year cost 10,000 yen per person, the transit system is expected to generate a profit of 184.8 billion yen for prefecture and 420.7 billion yen for carriers over a 40 year period, according to the report.