A father has been reprimanded by police after leaving his son on Japan’s highest mountain for several hours with just a tender drink and snack, native media report.

The seven-year-old was noticed sitting on a bench on Mount Fuji in foggy and wet situations, at a level located at over 2,000m (6,500ft).

His father, 48, reportedly advised him to “wait here” after the boy complained he was drained – and continued the climb with his elder son.

Staff at a mountain hut discovered the baby close to the sixth station of a mountaineering route towards the summit and alerted police. His father was tracked down at the route’s eighth station – said to be a three-hour hike away.

According to reports, the boy was discovered on his own at 07:30 native time on Thursday (22:30 GMT).

Officers castigated his father when he returned from the increased station and reunited with his son.

“Even if it means having to give up on climbing the mountain together, leaving a child behind is unacceptable,” one advised him, according to Japan Today. He is said to have apologised for the “rash” choice.

The household was reported to have been on the Fujinomiya route, which begins from the fifth station on the mountain, a spot which is accessible by public transport.

From there it takes around 5 hours to attain the peak and a further three hours to get down, climbing guides recommend.