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Why do people die climbing mount fuji in Japan during the off-season?

I'm thinking of traveling to Japan in the next few months and I was looking forward to hiking mount fuji. Unfortunately every travel book I've read says that it STRONGLY advises no hiking mount fuji during the off-season because of a few high profile deaths from foreigners from different countries. They don't talk about why the deaths occurred, if there are geophysical problems with the area, mudslides, crime-related incidents or anything. I grew up in the north of Canada, I've hiked in some of the craziest places sometimes for 3 weeks at a time out in the bush with no more than a pocket knife, fishing pole, tent, and sleeping bag. Does anyone have any idea what the problem is? Are these foreigners just inept at hiking or is there some sort of crime problem in that area at that time?

Public Comments

1. There are complex reasons. Mt.Fuji looks low mountain. However, it is 3,776 m (12,388 ft) high. Climbing during summer is not that difficult (the air over level 9 is thin though). In winter, the weather turns into the same condition with the mountains surrounding Everest. The temperature at the top is -15.0c (5 F). It's a volcanic mountain. There are no trees but lots small and medium size rocks. Japanese people know they are required to submit climbing plan a head of time (how long, the date you return, your phone number, etc). I wonder how many foreigners know this procedure. And as for the cell phone, foreigners can NOT purchase cell phones incld prepaid phone without resident card (registration card) in the city. The area lower than the 5th level is thick and wide wooded zone. Even this zone is not safe. Once people enter this area, you will lose the sense of direction. And it is said the compass points completely opposite direction in some area. You can say it is a "death valley".(actually this area is suicidal spot). Summer http://www.city.fujiyoshida.yamanashi.jp/div/english/html/climb.html Winter http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/_files/mountain.jpg http://chigaku.ed.gifu-u.ac.jp/chigakuhp/dem/efs/sat/volcano/fuji_ISS002-E-6971.jpg
2. Like the poster above mentioned, its the harsh conditions that come to Fuji at those times of years. Only in certain months of the year where the weather is no harsh is when it is safe to climb Fuji. Not just high profile deaths of foreigners but many Japanese themselves who think they can do it, even against all the advisories.
3. Even during the climbing season, the weather is very unpredictable. I put on an all-weather mountaineering poncho-type thing, and the wind blew it in half in about 15 seconds. I couldn't get close to the edge of the crater for fear of being blown in, and we couldn't take the path we had planned to take to get down, and ended up on the other side of the mountain from where our friends were picking us up. Also, DO NOT climb alone.