The number of Japanese travelers passing through Narita airport during the summer holiday season is expected to hit a record 1.65 million, the New Tokyo International Airport Authority said.
According to the authority's projections, it is expected to be the highest number since the airport opened in 1978 and up 7 percent from the same period last year.
The authority attributed the increase to the yen's strength and Japan's recovering economy.
The exodus began Saturday, with 39,000 people expected to depart on flights from Narita airport. The departure lounge was bustling with travelers, many of whom were families or students.
This year, there has been a surge in the popularity of Hong Kong, Europe and Indonesia's Bali Island, according to Japan Travel Bureau Inc.
The rising value of the yen against many other currencies has also been an enticement for many travelers interested in shopping and dining abroad, according to JTB.
The number of departures from the airport is expected to peak Aug. 21 at around 45,500.
At Kansai International Airport near Osaka, about 20,000 people departed Saturday, the airport's immigration authorities said.
The number of people passing through the airport for overseas trips during the summer vacation is expected to be about 594,600 -- some 50,000 more than during the same period last year.
The number of travelers flying out of the airport for the one-month period from July 20 is predicted to be the highest since it opened in 1994. Nearly 594,600 people -- 50,000 more than last year -- are scheduled to use the airport during the month, according to officials.
Of that total, roughly 90,000 people are heading to Korea, they said. A healthy proportion of travelers are also going to Europe or the United States, according to airline companies, an indication that the economy is recovering.