2010 Volume 55 Issue 1 Pages 177-191
The 2007 statistics from 11 prefectural police departments in central Honshu (the largest island in Japan) regarding incidents in mountain areas were subjected to detailed analysis to assess the risk levels associated with mountain activities. These statistics were also compared with published statistics on mountain incidents that form the current basis for analysis of mountain incidents. The results of this analysis were: 1) The highest incidence rate is in the 50-69 age group for men, and the 40-59 age group for women. 2) A high percentage of incidents among people over the age of 40 and people getting lost reflected characteristic of incidents among people who were picking wild vegetables. 3) Incidents that were not officially classified as “getting lost”, but began when someone got lost their way, had a high risk of fatal injury. 4) Incidents that involved people getting lost were due not only to poor navigation skills but also to poor planning, a lack of general knowledge about mountain areas, and low basic skill levels. The importance of detailed analysis of mountain incidents for promotion of mountain safety is discussed.
