JAPANESE

Protect the Sacred Mt.Fuji! Petition Against the ‘Mt. Fuji Railway Plan’

Mt.Fuji as a Sacred Mountain

Mt.Fuji has been revered since ancient times as the “fundamental deity” of Japan, where people and nature coexist in harmony. We cannot accept the "Mt.Fuji Railway Plan”(switched to "Mt.Fuji Tram Plan" on 18/11/2024), which is now being planned on the Yamanashi Prefecture side, as an act that seriously tramples on the historical and religious value of the divine and sacred mountain.

The Problems of Mt.Fuji and the Railway Plan

Due to the problems of overuse of Mt.Fuji, especially caused by the expansion of inbound tourism, the mountain is now dangerous and disorderly.

Although Yamanashi Pref. has positioned “Mt. Fuji Mountain Railway” as a solution to address issues such as visitor control, environmental impact, and protection of World Heritage, it is unclear how the problems are tackled, such as disaster countermeasures (eruptions and avalanches), the comparison of the railway with electric buses, and how to address environmental destruction and damage caused by the construction of the railway line.

"Mt.Fuji Tram Plan"

On November 18, 2024, Yamanashi Prefecture announced that it had “abandoned” the “Mt. Fuji Tramway Concept” to build a next-generation tramway (LRT), due to opposition.

As an alternative, it presented a new “Fuji Tram (tentative name)” that would run on the road surface with tires. However, Yamanashi Prefecture is a large-scale development at the fifth station, and the impact on environmental degradation is immeasurable.

To protect the environment of Mt. Fuji sustainably, as well as to monitor the future trend of the “Fuji Tram,” we would like to continue this petition. In addition, Yamanashi Pref. is aiming to commercialize the project, but because clear information is insufficient, people's understanding and consensus building have not been achieved, and the true nature of the project is still unclear. 

Purpose of this Petition

Therefore, we are launching a movement to protect Mt. Fuji from Shizuoka Prefecture's side, together with Yamanashi Prefecture's side and people in Japan and around the world who equally love Mt.Fuji, we are signing this petition to submit a request to the Governor of Shizuoka Prefecture, the Governor of Yamanashi Prefecture, relevant organizations, and the national government regarding the cancellation of this “Mt.Fuji Railway Plan”.

GROUNDWORK MISHIMA