Jetstar Japan is set to take to the skies on July 3 (for bookings in English, you can visit the Jetstar Singapore site.)

The budget carrier will initially service five Japanese cities on a fleet of three Airbus A320 aircraft. The airline will begin flights from Tokyo (Narita) to Fukuoka and Sapporo on July 3, and to Okinawa and Osaka (Kansai) on July 9. Services between Osaka Kansai and Fukuoka, and Osaka Kansai and Sapporo will start on August 24.

“In a country that’s never had a true low fares domestic network, the ability to travel for an average of 50 percent less will open up new places and opportunities,” said Jetstar Japan CEO Miyuki Suzuki.

With short-haul international flights expected to start in 2013, Jetstar Japan has announced that it plans to expand its fleet to 24 aircraft within the next few years.

Japan Airlines and Qantas are investors. Competitors in Japan’s domestic budget-airline market are AirAsia Japan and Peach Aviation, which has ANA in its corner.