The mission of Toyohiro Akiyama to the Mir space station in December 1990 marked the first instance of a journalist reporting from orbit and the first commercially funded spaceflight in history. Selected by the Tokyo Broadcasting System to boost viewership, he spent seven days aboard the facility, completing a flight that significantly altered the perception of civilian space travel.
Media Career and Selection
Born in Setagaya in 1942, Akiyama graduated from the International Christian University before joining the Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) in 1966. Between 1967 and 1971, he served at the British Broadcasting Corporation. His career progressed through roles as a foreign news correspondent, including a stint as the TBS chief correspondent in Washington, D.C., from 1984 to 1988. In 1989, TBS initiated a project to send a company employee into space to celebrate its fortieth anniversary. After 163 applicants were vetted, Akiyama was selected to train at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center following the medical disqualification of his colleague, Ryoko Kikuchi.
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Akiyama launched on 2 December 1990 aboard the Soyuz TM-11 mission alongside commander Viktor Afanasyev and flight engineer Musa Manarov. During his time on Mir, he provided daily live reports for Japanese television. He documented significant personal difficulties, including space sickness and a withdrawal from his habit of smoking four packs of cigarettes per day. His performance led some observers to label him the first antihero in space. He returned to Earth on 10 December 1990 aboard Soyuz TM-10. The financial aspects of the mission remain debated, with reported costs paid by TBS ranging from US$12 million to US$37 million.
Post-Space Career and Agriculture
Upon returning to TBS, Akiyama served as deputy director of the news division until 1995, when he resigned over objections to the commercialization of television broadcasting. He transitioned to a life of organic farming in the Abukuma mountains near Tamura, Fukushima, focusing on rice and mushroom cultivation. Following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, he relocated and later joined the faculty of the Kyoto University of Art and Design, where he worked as a professor of agriculture until 2023. Akiyama died on 26 August 2026 at age 84.
Fast facts
- Born: 1942, Setagaya
- Education: International Christian University
- Space Mission: Soyuz TM-11
- Awards: Order of Friendship of Peoples
- Awards: Medal For Merit in Space Exploration
- Died: 26 August 2026
- Primary Employer: TBS Holdings Inc.
Questions readers ask
Was Toyohiro Akiyama a trained scientist?
No, Akiyama was a journalist and TBS employee, not a trained astronaut, scientist, or engineer.
Why did Akiyama retire from TBS?
He resigned in 1995 due to his disagreement with the active commercialization of television.
Achievements
- Affiliated with Kyoto University of the Arts and Design, TBS Holdings Inc. and British Broadcasting Corporation
- Educated at International Christian University
- Worked as journalist, astronaut and reporter
