A weekly ferry route connecting Taiwan and Japan launched Thursday aboard a vessel that Japanese officials have designated for potential emergency evacuations during regional conflicts.
The Yaima Maru ferry now operates between Keelung in northern Taiwan and Japan’s Ishigaki island, making overnight trips once per week to transport tourists. Japanese authorities included this vessel on their 2024 list of ships available to evacuate residents from southern Japanese islands during potential crises.
Regional military tensions have intensified as China has increased pressure on Taiwan over recent years. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has conducted military exercises near Japanese territorial waters. The ferry route serves an area where the U.S. maintains significant military presence in Okinawa and Japan has been bolstering its defensive capabilities.
At the ferry’s inaugural ceremony in Keelung port, Ishigaki Mayor Yoshitaka Nakayama emphasized the route’s broader significance beyond transportation. “This regular route is not merely transportation infrastructure,” he stated. “It serves as a new bridge that supports tourism, logistics, economic activity, cultural exchange, and education.”
When asked about regional security concerns, Tatsuya Ohama, president of ferry operator Shosen Yaima, avoided direct commentary on military matters. “This is fundamentally a matter between countries. As a private ferry operator, our first step is to get the service up and running,” he explained to reporters.
The ferry connects regions where Japan has strengthened military defenses, particularly on Yonaguni island, which sits nearest to Taiwan among Japanese territories. Taiwan and Japan maintain strong economic ties despite lacking official diplomatic relations, a legacy from Japan’s colonial rule of Taiwan from 1895 to 1945.
Recent diplomatic tensions have escalated after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November that a Chinese military action against Taiwan might prompt Japanese military involvement. This statement angered Beijing and strained relations between the countries.
Taiwan’s government continues to reject China’s territorial claims over the island.
