During the year-end period, mountain accidents in Japan have occurred frequently. As of January 7, three hikers in Japan have died and eight are missing, prompting rescue operations in the affected areas. However, what many people don’t realize is that rescue costs are exceptionally high and must be borne by the individuals themselves, which is why very few bother to purchase mountaineering insurance. So just how expensive are rescue operations in Japan?
■ Private helicopter rescues cost “10,000 yen per minute”
Generally speaking, the labor and equipment costs of public rescue services such as police and fire departments, including rescue helicopters, are covered by the government and do not need to be paid by the families of the victims. However, in most cases, to expedite search and rescue efforts, assistance from local mountain rescue teams and private helicopters is often sought — and the resulting costs must be covered by the families. According to insiders, private helicopter rescue services cost “10,000 yen per minute” (approximately 710 yuan), and this includes the round-trip time from the standby location to the rescue site.
■ No upper limit on rescue costs
If local personnel are called upon for assistance, labor costs range from 10,000 to 50,000 yen per person per day, depending on the level of danger involved in the rescue. Due to risks such as avalanches, winter mountain rescues tend to be more expensive than those in summer. In addition, various other expenses such as supplies used by rescuers, rescue equipment, and body transport are also borne by the families of the victims. Although the well-known mountaineering rescue support organization “Japan Mountain Rescue Council” (JRO) provides some subsidy for rescue costs (up to 3.3 million yen), the costs can still reach astronomical figures if the search takes too long due to the expanded search area or increased difficulty — far exceeding the subsidy cap. There have been past cases where searches lasted as long as 10 months.
■ Less than 1% of climbers are insured
Despite the growing popularity of mountain climbing, the mountaineering insurance business has not seen much growth. It is reported that in 2012, 52,345 people in Japan purchased mountaineering insurance, yet there are currently as many as 10 million mountain enthusiasts in the country — meaning less than 1% are insured. Many people do not take the dangers of mountain climbing seriously enough, and experts are calling for insurance to be a basic standard for all climbers.
In recent years, many Chinese people have also enjoyed hiking in Japan. But in light of the above cases, it’s essential to be fully prepared — so you don’t end up in debt after being rescued from an accident.
■ Private helicopter rescues cost “10,000 yen per minute”
Generally speaking, the labor and equipment costs of public rescue services such as police and fire departments, including rescue helicopters, are covered by the government and do not need to be paid by the families of the victims. However, in most cases, to expedite search and rescue efforts, assistance from local mountain rescue teams and private helicopters is often sought — and the resulting costs must be covered by the families. According to insiders, private helicopter rescue services cost “10,000 yen per minute” (approximately 710 yuan), and this includes the round-trip time from the standby location to the rescue site.
■ No upper limit on rescue costs
If local personnel are called upon for assistance, labor costs range from 10,000 to 50,000 yen per person per day, depending on the level of danger involved in the rescue. Due to risks such as avalanches, winter mountain rescues tend to be more expensive than those in summer. In addition, various other expenses such as supplies used by rescuers, rescue equipment, and body transport are also borne by the families of the victims. Although the well-known mountaineering rescue support organization “Japan Mountain Rescue Council” (JRO) provides some subsidy for rescue costs (up to 3.3 million yen), the costs can still reach astronomical figures if the search takes too long due to the expanded search area or increased difficulty — far exceeding the subsidy cap. There have been past cases where searches lasted as long as 10 months.
■ Less than 1% of climbers are insured
Despite the growing popularity of mountain climbing, the mountaineering insurance business has not seen much growth. It is reported that in 2012, 52,345 people in Japan purchased mountaineering insurance, yet there are currently as many as 10 million mountain enthusiasts in the country — meaning less than 1% are insured. Many people do not take the dangers of mountain climbing seriously enough, and experts are calling for insurance to be a basic standard for all climbers.
In recent years, many Chinese people have also enjoyed hiking in Japan. But in light of the above cases, it’s essential to be fully prepared — so you don’t end up in debt after being rescued from an accident.