A strip joining apparatus is provided wherein a time which a line is stopped is shortened, a number of installation spaces is decreased and precise notching may be performed. The strip joining apparatus comprising a first carriage 3 comprising a shearing means 8 for shearing each of the back end of the preceding strip 1a and the lead end of the succeeding strip 1b in a direction approximately orthogonal to the traveling direction of the strips, a welding means 15 for sequentially welding, along a shearing surface, a location where the back end of the sheared preceding strip 1a and the lead end of the sheared succeeding strip 1b are contacted by abutting or overlapping, and a first side notching means 18 for side notching a weld lead end portion of the weld location provided extending approximately above a weld traveling direction of the weld location, the first carriage 3 provided so as to be capable of moving in the weld traveling direction; and a second carriage 6 disposed facing the first carriage 3 and comprising a second side notching means 19 for side notching a weld back end portion of the weld location and constituting a pair together with the first side notching means 18.