U-turn rush begins in Japan after New Year holidays

 
The U-turn rush of people in Japan who spent the New Year holidays in their hometowns or overseas began on Saturday with bullet trains, airports and expressways crowded from the morning.

According to JR, trains on the Tokaido Shinkansen, which operates with all reserved seats, were almost full by 11 a.m., and the occupancy rate for trains with unreserved seats on the Joetsu Shinkansen exceeded 100%, reports Japan Today.

In the afternoon, reserved seats on the Tokaido, Tohoku, Akita and Hokuriku shinkansen lines were almost full.

All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines reported that flights to Haneda airport in Tokyo and Osaka were more than 90% full.

Approximately 37,500 people will return from overseas to Haneda Airport on Saturday, according to the airlines. Approximately 49,000 people are expected to return to Narita Airport as well. Traffic jams were reported on expressways.

According to the Japan Road Traffic Information Center, as of 11:30 a.m., the northbound lanes of the Meishin Expressway had traffic backed up for 14 kilometers, starting near the Kyoto Higashi Interchange.

The southbound lanes of the Tomei Expressway were jammed for 9 kilometers, starting near the Yokohama Machida Interchange, due to an accident.
Congestion is expected to continue into Saturday night, and again on Sunday, especially on the northbound lanes heading to Tokyo. Up to 20-kilometer traffic lines were seen on the Tomei and Kan-etsu expressways on Saturday afternoon.

JR Tokyo Station was bustling with families carrying large bags, and long lines formed at ticket counters staffed by station employees on the afternoon of Jan. 3.

Shinya Matsuoka, a 56-year-old company worker returning to his home in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, from Kagawa Prefecture, said, "It was the usual homecoming, but I had a great time at my parents' house."

Hirotaka Saito, a 54-year-old company worker who spent four days at his home in Tokyo from New Year's Eve and was returning to his work assignment in Hiroshima, commented, "I was able to meet my parents and siblings, and it's been a great start to the year."