TOKYO - Japan's Yamanashi prefectural government plans to raise the entry fee for climbers of Mount Fuji, Japan's tallest mountain, from the current 2,000 yen to a range of 3,000 to 5,000 yen, local media reported.

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The proposed hike would merge the entry fee with the existing voluntary conservation cooperation charge of 1,000 yen per climber. Local communities have criticized the voluntary payment system as confusing and overly complicated, Jiji Press cited informed sources as saying.

Entry policies of Mt Fuji, which straddles Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures, may see similar changes on the Shizuoka side. The Shizuoka prefectural government is considering implementing a mandatory entry fee of 3,000 to 5,000 yen starting next summer, replacing its voluntary conservation payment system.

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Yamanashi officials have presented three potential fee increase plans to local stakeholders, proposing new entry fees of 3,000, 4,000, or 5,000 yen per climber. The changes aim to streamline payments and enhance funding for the mountain's conservation and management. (1 yen equals $0.0065)