Cosmo-reporters, Japanese cosmonaut, TM-11, Mission Control

1990 December 2-10 - Flight of first Japanese astronaut (Soyuz TM-11, Mir, cosmonauts V.M.Afanasyev, M.H.Manarov, USSR; T.Akiyama, Japan).

Akiyama became the first Japanese citizen in space when he flew aboard Soyuz TM-11 in 1990. He also became the first journalist in
space as he broadcast from the Mir space station to the country of Japan.