Star Flyer Inc. launched its first regular international flights Thursday, providing two round trips a day between its Kitakyushu base and Busan, South Korea.
The total flight time between the two cities is 50 minutes and fares start from ¥6,600 for the round trip, which is primarily aimed at tourists making day trips.
"We'll make efforts to become a bridge for Japan-South Korea exchanges," President Shinichi Yonehara said at a ceremony at Kitakyushu airport.
Yonehara indicated the airline will consider expanding its international flight operations, mentioning the possibility of flights between Busan and the city of Fukuoka.
The company is aiming to lure 10 percent of the 1.5 million people living in areas centering on Kitakyushu and nearby Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and hopes to achieve an average boarding rate of 65 percent, Yonehara said.
Star Flyer became the fourth Japanese air carrier to launch regular international flights after All Nippon Airways Co., Japan Airlines Co. and low-cost carrier Peach Aviation Ltd.