Direct Flights from Taiwan to Japan — New & Resumed Routes

From Taipei — Taoyuan International Airport (TPE)

Airlines to Japan

Tigerair Taiwan (台灣虎航) — Taipei routes

LCC subsidiary of China Airlines, operating as Taiwan's main budget carrier. Tigerair Taiwan has been aggressive in opening new Japan routes from Taipei in 2025. The Oita service (April 2025) gives Taiwanese travelers their first direct LCC link to Kyushu's onsen and hot spring capital — Oita is home to Beppu and Yufuin, two of Japan's most celebrated thermal resort areas. Tigerair Taiwan also added Taipei–Ishigaki (July 2025), its second entry on the Yaeyama Islands route after China Airlines resumed the same pair in June — creating LCC competition on a leisure route primarily driven by Taiwanese demand for Okinawa's outer islands.

EVA Air (長榮航空)

Taiwan's second-largest full-service carrier and a Star Alliance member. EVA Air opened Taipei–Kobe on April 18, 2025 — on the same date as rival Starlux Airlines, reflecting the coordinated opening of Kobe Airport's new international slots. EVA brings premium cabin options (including Business Class) to the Taipei–Kobe route, catering to business travelers bound for the Kansai region who prefer a full-service experience. With its existing dense network to Narita, Haneda, Osaka, Sapporo, and beyond, Kobe adds a secondary Kansai gateway to EVA's Japan footprint.

Starlux Airlines (星宇航空) — Taipei routes

Launched in 2020, Starlux is Taiwan's newest full-service airline — positioned as a premium boutique carrier. Its Japan strategy has been notably bold: Starlux opened both Taipei–Kobe and Taipei–Shimojishima (Miyako Islands) in 2025.

Taipei–Kobe (April 2025): Starlux entered the Taipei–Kobe route simultaneously with EVA Air — unusual in aviation, where competing carriers rarely open the same new route on the same day. Kobe's new international slots attracted both carriers at once, reflecting strong Taiwanese demand for Kansai.

Taipei–Shimojishima (August 2025): Shimojishima Airport (SHI) is a small resort airport on Miyako Island, Okinawa. Starlux's new Taipei–Shimojishima service is notable because Shimojishima had very limited international connectivity — the airport mainly serves Okinawan resort tourism. Starlux targets Taiwanese leisure travelers drawn to Miyako's clear waters and remote-island experience.

China Airlines (中華航空) — Ishigaki

Taiwan's flag carrier, a SkyTeam member. China Airlines resumed Taipei–Ishigaki (June 2025) — a route popular with Taiwanese snorkeling and diving enthusiasts visiting the Yaeyama Islands. Ishigaki, with its coral reefs and connection to even smaller Ryukyu islands (Iriomote, Taketomi), has a dedicated Taiwanese tourism base. The resumption restored a pre-COVID connection that had been on hold since the pandemic.

Japan Transocean Air (日本トランスオーシャン航空)

Japanese regional carrier, JAL subsidiary, based in Okinawa. JTA launched Taipei–Naha (February 2026) — a Japanese carrier operating into Taiwan's main airport. This reflects Okinawa's strategic position as the closest Japanese prefecture to Taiwan (Ishigaki is roughly 270 km from Taipei), and is marketed partly to Taiwanese travelers seeking an Okinawa base and partly to Okinawa-based operators building Taiwan inbound tourism. JTA normally focuses on domestic Okinawa routes and Japan–East Asia hops; the Taipei service is an expansion of its international footprint.

Star Flyer (スターフライヤー)

Japanese premium LCC based at Kitakyushu Airport. Star Flyer operated Taipei–Kitakyushu before COVID and has scheduled a resumption for September 2, 2026. The route serves a niche: Kitakyushu is Fukuoka Prefecture's northern industrial city (close to Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, and northern Kyushu's manufacturing belt) and had previously attracted Taiwanese business travelers and industrial tourism. Star Flyer's product is notably upscale for an LCC — wider seats, premium cabin option — giving Taiwanese travelers a quality option into a less-served Kyushu gateway.

From Kaohsiung — Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH)

Airlines to Japan

China Airlines (中華航空) — Kaohsiung routes

China Airlines resumed both Kaohsiung–Kumamoto (February 2025) and Kaohsiung–Fukuoka (April 2025) as Taiwan–Kyushu traffic rebounded sharply. The Kaohsiung–Kumamoto route has become one of the most symbolically significant aviation stories of 2025: TSMC's massive semiconductor factory in Kumamoto — two plants with a third planned — has transformed Kumamoto from a quiet Kyushu city into a hub of Taiwan-Japan industrial collaboration.

Taiwan media and business press have dubbed Kumamoto a "九州シリコンアイランド" (Kyushu Silicon Island) and describe it as an extension of Taiwan's semiconductor ecosystem. China Airlines' resumption of the Kaohsiung–Kumamoto route is timed to this demand: Kaohsiung is home to major TSMC supplier operations, and the two cities' governors have cultivated a "sister city" relationship symbolized by the joint mascots Kumamoto's "Kumamon" (くまモン) and Kaohsiung's "Gaoxiong Bear (高雄熊)" — publicly called "brothers" by both local leaders. Flights on this route operate close to capacity.

Tigerair Taiwan (台灣虎航) — Kaohsiung routes

Tigerair Taiwan added two new Japan routes from Kaohsiung in 2025:

Kaohsiung–Sendai (July 2025): The first direct LCC link between southern Taiwan and Tohoku. Sendai is the largest city in northeast Japan — gateway to Matsushima, the Tohoku shinkansen network, and regional culture beyond Tokyo. Until this route, Taiwanese travelers to Sendai needed to transit through Taipei or Tokyo. The route opens a new tourism corridor and reflects Taiwan's deepening interest in less-crowded regional Japan.

Kaohsiung–Kumamoto (December 2025): Tigerair's entry into the Kaohsiung–Kumamoto pair adds LCC capacity to a route already operated by China Airlines — driven by the same TSMC-related demand, which is large enough to support multiple carriers. A budget option on this route benefits both semiconductor industry travelers watching costs and leisure tourists heading to Kumamoto, Aso volcano, and Kyushu's hot spring resorts.

From Taichung — Taichung International Airport (RMQ)

Airlines to Japan

Starlux Airlines (星宇航空) — the Taichung–Japan network

Starlux Airlines has treated Taichung as a strategic launchpad for its Japan network, opening three routes in 2025–2026:

Taichung–Kobe (April 2025): Opened simultaneously with Starlux's Taipei–Kobe service, giving central Taiwan direct access to Kobe Airport on the same day. For Taichung residents, this eliminates the need to travel to Taipei for a Kansai flight. Kobe Airport's expanded international capacity absorbed both a Taipei route and a Taichung route from the same carrier on the same launch date — a remarkable expansion for a secondary Japanese airport.

Taichung–Narita (March 2026): Starlux's entry into the central Taiwan–Tokyo market. Narita (NRT) is Starlux's primary Tokyo gateway, offering onward connections across Japan and the Pacific. The route brings Starlux's distinctive premium cabin product (business class, extra-wide economy) to central Taiwan–Tokyo travelers.

Taichung–Kumamoto (March 2026): Starlux joins the Taiwan–Kumamoto corridor — already served from Taipei by China Airlines and from Kaohsiung by both China Airlines and Tigerair Taiwan. Taichung–Kumamoto adds central Taiwan to the TSMC-driven network connecting the island to Kyushu's semiconductor industry hub. Starlux's premium product targets senior engineers and executives who prioritize comfort on this business-heavy route.

Starlux's emergence as the dominant carrier from Taichung to Japan mirrors its broader positioning: a new Taiwanese airline seeking differentiation not through LCC pricing but through product quality, in a market (Taiwan–Japan) where both leisure and business demand is deep enough to support premium service at competitive fares.

Tigerair Taiwan (台灣虎航) — Taichung to Naha

Tigerair Taiwan opened Taichung–Naha (March 2026), giving central Taiwan a direct LCC option to Okinawa. Taichung residents previously needed to transit through Taipei to reach Naha — a short flight made longer by an unnecessary hub connection. The route is primarily leisure-driven: Taiwanese demand for Okinawa (beaches, Ryukyuan culture, subtropical climate) is consistently strong, and the direct link from central Taiwan's major city makes Okinawa significantly more accessible to the greater Taichung metro area.

From Tainan — Tainan Airport (TNN)

Airlines to Japan

Tigerair Taiwan (台灣虎航) — Tainan routes

Tigerair Taiwan launched two Japan routes from Tainan in quick succession in December 2025, opening up southern Taiwan's historic capital city to direct Japan access:

Tainan–Kumamoto (December 23, 2025): A striking route pairing two ancient cities: Tainan, Taiwan's city of temples and colonial-era fortresses, and Kumamoto, Kyushu's castle city now at the center of a semiconductor revolution. For Tainan travelers — historically underserved by international routes — this is the first direct option to Kumamoto without transiting through Taipei. The TSMC effect driving demand on this corridor means load factors should be supported by steady business travel.

Tainan–Naha (December 25, 2025): Tainan and Naha (Okinawa) are natural travel partners — both are subtropical island cultures with deep historical ties, relaxed atmospheres, and distinct local cuisines. The flight time is under two hours. Taiwanese tourists love Okinawa for its beaches, Ryukyuan history, and accessibility; Okinawans have longstanding cultural connections with Taiwan. Direct service from Tainan removes the Taipei transit that previously made this trip cumbersome.

Tigerair Taiwan's Tainan expansion reflects a deliberate strategy: rather than concentrating all capacity at Taipei Taoyuan, open secondary Taiwanese cities to direct Japan routes, capturing demand from travelers who previously drove or took the HSR to Taoyuan to catch a Japan flight.

The Bigger Picture: Taiwan and Japan's Aviation Relationship

Japanese Airports Now Served from Taiwan (2025–2026 New/Resumed)

Getting Around Japan

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