Portage man may be missing on Mt. Fuji

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Matt Johnson was looking forward to his business trip to Japan, in part because he would have the opportunity to climb Mt. Fuji, friends told 24 Hour News 8.
 
"Hidyo off to Tokyo I go!" Johnson wrote on his Facebook page on Jan. 8, the day he left for Japan.
 
But when Johnson, who works as an engineer for the Eaton Corporation, did not show up at work in Japan on Monday, his coworkers, friends and family grew concerned.
 
"Matt shows up for work on time. He's there when he's supposed to be and he's someone you can always count on to be where he says he's going to be," said Erin Cramer, a close friend of Johnson's. "For him not to show up for work, it's a red flag right away."
 
Johnson's car was found at the base of the mountain, but conditions that night were not conducive to am immediate search, his family told 24 Hour News 8.
 
Crews were scheduled to search the area using helicopters and ground searchers at around 5 p.m. EST Tuesday, which is 7 a.m. Wednesday in Japan.

On Wednesday, the search for Johnson took to the sky via helicopter search, according to the Akasaka Police Office of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Agency. The helicopter search  had to be suspended due to high winds, but will resume on Thursday, weather permitting.
 
Johnson is an experienced hiker, Cramer said, adding that she hopes Johnson has gotten shelter along one of the mountain's trails.
 
"I'm overwhelmed at the thought of him being out there," she said.
 
Several photos on Johnson's Facebook page feature the 33-year-old in the outdoors. He is an avid mountain biker and often hikes alone, Cramer said.
 
"It's not uncommon for him to spend the evening out camping or doing something like that," Cramer said.
 
Several people gathered at the Kalamazoo First Assembly of God church in Portage to pray for Johnson's safe return and many supporters have joined a group on Facebook called "Please pray for Matt Johnson."
 
Mt. Fuji, Japan's highest mountain peak at 12,385 feet, is a dormant volcano that last erupted in 1708. On clear days, the peak can be seen from Tokyo and Yokohama. The temperature on the ground in Shizuoka Prefecture, where the base of the mountain is located, was clear and approximately 46 degrees on Tuesday.

In a statement, Scott R. Schroeder with Eaton Corporation said:

"Our thoughts are with Matthew Johnson's family during this difficult time. He works in Eaton's Vehicle business, based near Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is an engineer and has been employed since 2003. He departed on a business trip to Japan on January 8, 2012.

"We were notified of his current status by Eaton officials in Japan over the weekend and have been working with local search and police authorities since that time. We also have been in close touch with his family.

At this point, we do not have any additional information we can share with you."

The Consulate General of Japan in Detroit said on Wednesday that it ""joins the prayers of family and friends for the safe return of Mr. Matthew Paul Johnson."

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Online:

A live stream of Mt. Fuji