Toyohiro Akiyama (born July 22, 1942) is a Japanese TV journalist best known for his flight to the Mir space station aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1990. Akiyama is the first person of Japanese nationality to have flown in space.
Soyuz TM-10 was the tenth mission and the seventh long-duration expedition to Mir space station. The mission began on August 1, 1990, 09:32:21 UTC, launching Commander Gennadi Manakov and Flight Engineer Gennadi Strekalov into orbit. They docked with Mir two days later. During their stay there, cosmonauts performed an EVA, various station repair and maintenance tasks, and carried out scientific experiments in biology, geophysics, space technology, astronomy etc. They were visited by a Progress M-5 resupply spacecraft and Soyuz TM-11 expedition. The mission concluded with a safe landing back on Earth on December 10, 1990, 06:08:12 UTC.
Low Earth OrbitSoyuz TM-11 was the 11th mission and the eighth long-duration expedition to Mir space station. The mission began on December 2, 1990, 08:13:32 UTC, launching Commander Viktor Afanasyev, Flight Engineer Musa Manarov and Research Cosmonaut Toyohiro Akiyama, the first space tourist, into orbit. They docked with Mir two days later. During their stay there, cosmonauts performed EVAs, various station repair and maintenance tasks, and carried out scientific experiments in biology, geophysics, space technology, astronomy etc. They were visited by several Progress resupply spacecrafts, and welcomed aboard the ninth long-duration expedition crew, which arrived in Soyuz TM-12 vehicle. Toyohiro Akiyama returned on December 10, 1990, in Soyuz TM-10 spacecraft, while the mission itself concluded with a safe landing back on Earth on May 26, 1991, 10:04:13 UTC.
Low Earth Orbit