Direct flights between Japan’s Kumamoto, Taipei to begin in Sept.

Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines Co. said Friday it will begin operating the first direct flight service connecting Kumamoto in southwestern Japan and Taipei starting Sept. 1.

The announcement comes as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s largest contract chipmaker, has been constructing a plant in Kumamoto Prefecture, with the new factory expected to increase demand for business travel.

The airline will provide three round-trip flights a week, for which tickets went on sale Friday.

Around 300 people from Taiwan will be sent to work at the Kumamoto plant in the town of Kikuyo, located ...