JAXA astronaut Makoto Suwa to join ISS crew in 2027

Makoto Suwa will become the 8th Japanese astronaut to complete a long-term stay aboard the International Space Station starting around 2027, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has announced.

The mission, which will be Suwa’s first in space, will mark the 15th long-term stay by a Japanese astronaut, according to JAXA.

Suwa, a former senior disaster risk management specialist at the World Bank, was selected as a candidate astronaut in 2023. Officially certified as an astronaut in 2024, he has undergone training through NASA’s Johnson Space Center with astronauts from Europe, the United States and others, including on how to operate the robotic arm and hatches used on the ISS.

He will also undergo training on the scientific experiments that he and other astronauts will conduct aboard the ISS.

japannews.yomiuri.co.jp