The first flight connecting Yancheng in East China's Jiangsu province with Japanese city Shizuoka took off from Nanyang Airport at 1:05 pm, May 28.

The Shizuoka flights run every Thursday and Sunday, departing from Yancheng at 12:35am and arriving at its destination at 4:15 pm. The return flights leave at Shizuoka at 5:15 pm and reach Yancheng at 7:25 pm on the same days.

"The price of a return flight ticket to Japan is around 5,000 yuan, cheaper than that in Nanjing, where the price is 7,980 yuan now, and will increase a bit in the summer," said Li Jing, a tour guide from Nanjing Sainty Overseas Tourist Co, who boarded the flight in Yancheng with her customers.

Meanwhile Nanyang Airport will launch direct flights to Osaka every Tuesday and Friday starting from June 2. Run by China's Capital Airlines, the flights will leave Yancheng at 10:30 am and arrive in Osaka at 1:55 pm local time. The return flights will depart Osaka at 2:55 pm and arrive in Yancheng at 4:45 pm on the same days.