Japanese Space Flight Day

What Is Japanese Space Flight Day?

Every December 2nd is "Japanese Space Flight Day" (日本人宇宙飛行記念日, Nihonjin Uchūhikō Kinenbi) in Japan. On December 2, 1990, journalist Toyohiro Akiyama (秋山豊寛), then a reporter for TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System), launched aboard the Soviet Soyuz TM-11 spacecraft — becoming the first Japanese person to travel to space. Akiyama spent eight days aboard the Mir space station, broadcasting reports back to Japan and conducting scientific experiments. His flight — funded by TBS as a commercial arrangement with the Soviet space program — preceded the first Japanese government astronaut in space by two years.

Toyohiro Akiyama's Historic Flight

Akiyama's selection as Japan's first space traveler was unconventional — he was a journalist, not a scientist or engineer, chosen through a TBS competition to ride aboard a Soviet spacecraft as part of a commercial deal. His eight days on Mir included live television broadcasts to Japan, scientific observations, and the experience of weightlessness that he described in vivid, immediate terms for Japanese audiences. His mission raised awareness of space travel among the Japanese public and inspired a generation of aspiring astronauts.

Japan's Space Program and Astronauts

Two years after Akiyama's flight, NASDA astronaut Mamoru Mohri became the first Japanese government-selected astronaut to fly (September 1992, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour). Since then, numerous Japanese astronauts have served on Space Shuttle missions and the International Space Station (ISS), including Koichi Wakata, who became the first Japanese ISS Commander in 2013-2014. Japan's JAXA continues to select and train astronauts for ISS and future lunar exploration missions.

Japan's Space Legacy

Japan's human spaceflight program, planetary exploration missions (Hayabusa, Hayabusa2, Akatsuki), and Earth observation satellite programs have established Japan as a serious spacefaring nation. Japan is a partner in NASA's Artemis program for lunar exploration, with Japanese astronauts expected to participate in future crewed lunar missions.

Fun Facts

• TBS arrangement: TBS paid approximately $12 million USD to the Soviet space agency for Akiyama's seat — making his flight one of the first instances of commercial space tourism, though the deal was framed as a journalistic assignment rather than personal recreation.
• Farmer astronaut: After retiring from journalism and spaceflight, Toyohiro Akiyama became an organic farmer in Fukushima Prefecture — a remarkable career arc from TV reporter to space traveler to agricultural pioneer.