Multiple traffic incidents marred the start of the new year on Japan's expressways, as drivers faced severe delays due to several collisions across the country. On January 3, 2025, one major accident occurred near the Setaka bus stop on the Kyushu Expressway, which caused significant disruption along the up line between the Miyama Yanagawa IC and Yame IC.
This collision contributed to traffic jams stretching 27 kilometers at the Hirokawa IC area, along with additional congestion reported with 10 kilometers at the Kiyama PA and 5 kilometers at the Koga SA. Authorities urged drivers to maintain safe distances and be attentive.
According to NEXCO West Japan, the traffic congestion was exacerbated by high travel volume during the New Year holiday, leading to what is termed the 'U-turn rush' as families returned from hometown visits. The company issued advisories for users to remain cautious and found alternative routes due to the delays.
Further issues arose on the Takamatsu Expressway where, around 11:30 AM, at least nine vehicles were involved in a multi-car collision between the Kawanoe JCT and Ohnohara IC, necessitating the closure of this section. This incident generated approximately four kilometers of traffic buildup on the Matsuyama Expressway from the Mishima Kawanoe IC to the Kawanoe JCT, according to traffic regulators.
Just after 2 PM, reports confirmed the removal of the accident vehicles and the subsequent reopening of the roadways, but not before causing substantial delays for travelers.
Traffic woes were not limited to the Takamatsu area – other regions such as Okayama and Kagawa experienced significant congestion as the returning holiday travel crescendoed. By the early afternoon, heavy traffic was also being reported on the Sanyo Expressway due to broken-down vehicles causing around 15 kilometers of delays near the Asa tunnel.
Families traveling northward filled the service areas, with reports indicating peak usage rates at the Kibi Service Area. One family reported, "We returned to Kagawa to celebrate my birthday with grandparents, and now we're heading back toward Hyogo. It’s been quite busy!"
NEXCO West Japan anticipated January 3 to be the most congested day of the holiday season, with travelers returning to work and school after the extended festive break.
While traffic was particularly dense on expressways, train services were feeling the strain as well. JR Shikoku reported considerable overcapacity with u-turn services reaching as high as 160% on trains from Matsuyama and 140% from Kochi due to holiday passengers.
Though the return rush was expected to remain high for days, trends indicated some dispersal of traffic likely due to the long New Year break allowing families to adjust travel times compared to typical years.
Authorities remained vigilant, encouraging drivers to heed safety advisories and to be patient as the aftermath of holiday travel slowly returned to normalcy throughout the expressways.