At least seven people were killed and 39 others injured on Sunday when their bus bound for Tokyo Disneyland crashed on a highway near the Japanese capital, a police spokesman said.

The bus carrying 45 passengers smashed against a roadside wall on the Kanetsu Expressway before dawn in Fujioka, 100 kilometres (62 miles) northwest of Tokyo, the spokesman said.

The tourist bus left Kanazawa, 300 kilometres northwest of Tokyo, late Saturday, the first day of Japan's "Golden Week" spring holiday season, local media reported.

Six of those killed appeared to be young women while 13 people were seriously injured, Jiji Press said.

Police launched an investigation, questioning the 43-year-old driver, who was also injured.