The Golden Week holiday exodus peaked Saturday as people headed for hometowns, resorts or other destinations for the annual holidays, shrugging off nationwide concern about a new type of influenza.
Expressways were congested across the nation early in the morning, due partly to a popular toll discount introduced in March for weekends and holidays.
By 9 a.m., a 66-km traffic jam had formed on the Tomei Expressway in Shizuoka Prefecture, the Japan Road Traffic Information Center said. In Hyogo Prefecture, vehicles were backed up for 45 km on the Chugoku Expressway.