Saitama Pref. to charge climbers for rescues by helicopter

November 13, 2017

Saitama- The Saitama prefectural government has set details of planned fees for rescues by helicopter that it will charge rescued climbers under an ordinance taking effect next January.

The fee for a five-minute helicopter flight for a mountain rescue operation is set at 5,000 yen, approximately equivalent to fuel costs.

As mountain rescue operations by helicopters take about 60 minutes on average, one helicopter rescue mission will cost some 60,000 yen.

Saitama, north of Tokyo, will become the first Japanese local government to introduce fees for mountain rescue operations with its own helicopters.

The prefecture will introduce the paid services in six areas, including the 3-kilometer radius around the top of Mount Kumotori, which straddles Saitama and Yamanashi prefectures and Tokyo.

The Saitama government selected the six regions based on its past rescue operations.

According to the prefecture's fire and disaster management division, seven of the 12 rescue operations by helicopter during the year ended in March this year were conducted in the six regions.

Beginning next January, those who are rescued by the prefectural government's disaster relief helicopters will receive the bills by mail and pay the fees through bank transfers in principle.

But those who enter mountains in the areas to hunt dangerous wild animals, manage mountain cabins for climbers or participate in school activities will be exempted from the fees.

Fees will be reduced for welfare recipients and those who become stranded in the areas due to natural disasters, such as earthquakes. Jiji Press