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The Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund

Introduction to Grant Projects

NPO Valid Utilization of Mt. Fuji Weather Station

Plan for the strategic use of the Mt. Fuji Weather Station for the preservation of the earth's atmospheric environment (part 2) Renovating the Mt. Fuji Weather Station as Japan's highest-level research and education base

Activity grant

Project Description

Since being partially abandoned in 2007, the Mt. Fuji Weather Station has been borrowed by the Japan Meteorological Agency for use as a research facility over two months during the summer season. The facility does not enjoy any public assistance, but has been supported by the current grant since 2010. Since then, it has played a key role in achieving significant research results, and the number of those interested in using the facility is steadily increasing. The grant would allow for the continuation of ongoing activities as well as the launch of "Japan's highest-elevation scientific experiment room" to support educational activities.

Grant year
FY2013 Activity Grants
Grant term
3 years
October 2013 - September 2016
Grant amount
17,928,000 yen
Activity region
Shizuoka Prefecture; Tokyo, Japan
A research group at the peak of Mt. Fuji in front of the Weather Station after focused observations (Waseda University)

Overview of the Organization

Shiro Hatakeyama, Director
Representative
Shiro Hatakeyama, Director
Establishment
2005
Establishment purpose
The Mount Fuji weather measurement station is Japan's highest at an altitude of 3,776 meters. The station is equipped everything necessary for valuable observation and measurement, such as a commercial power supply. It was unmanned when set up in 2004 due to fears the station could be destroyed, but since then it has become a hub for researchers, and was borrowed by the Meteorological Agency for a period. The NPO was founded with the objective of making effective use of the Mount Fuji weather station in the fields of education and research as a facility which is open to the public.
Main activity areas
Shizuoka Prefecture, Greater Tokyo area
Staff
2 full time staff members, 1 part time staff member, 95 full members
Annual operating budget
30.09 million yen in 2011, 28.86 million yen in 2012, 25.54 million yen in 2013
WEB site
http://npo.fuji3776.net/
Recent activities
During a two-month summer period, the organization and support of 400 researcher's ascent and decent of the mountain is carried out, including transportation of large quantities of equipment, sewage and garbage disposable, and supplies of food and drinking water to ensure smooth and safe research activities at the summit. Unmanned battery operated observations of carbon dioxide and cosmic rays are also carried out all throughout the year.
  • (1) PM2.5, The observation of trans-boundary air polluting substances, such as mercury, and the psycho-chemical properties of clouds.
  • (2) Observation of cosmic rays and natural radiation density, summer lightening, upper atmospheric lightening, such as sprites.
  • (3) Research on the structure of permafrost through mining
  • (4) Altitude training and research on acute altitude sickness and treatment
  • (5) Development of teaching materials for science education, hands-on teaching in laboratories
  • (6) Development and research into new technology regarding food preservation and lightening protection.