Many people in Japan are heading overseas to enjoy their first year-end and New Year holidays since the country significantly eased border controls against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Narita Airport near Tokyo was crowded with travelers on Wednesday. Families with large suitcases formed long lines at airline counters in the departure area.

Narita International Airport Corporation says over 618,000 people are expected to leave or arrive at the airport between December 23 and January 5. That would be more than 12 times the figure in the same period last year.

Airport officials say the exodus is likely to peak on Wednesday, with more than 25,000 passengers leaving Japan.

They also say that international flights have not even recovered to half the levels of the same period in 2019, before the pandemic.

Officials say many people are spending their winter holidays this year in Asian countries that are relatively close to Japan. They say soaring crude oil prices appear to have influenced vacationers' choice of destinations.

A man traveling to Thailand said he was going abroad for the first time since the pandemic broke out, even though he had done so every year before that. He said he looked forward to playing golf.

The rush of returning passengers at Narita Airport is expected to peak on January 4.