Toyohiro Akiyama, a Japanese television journalist and the first non-professional civilian to travel into space, has died at the age of 84. Akiyama’s pioneering eight-day mission aboard the Soviet Mir space station in 1990 marked a significant milestone in space history, although his experience was far from smooth.

Born on June 22, 1942, in Tokyo, Akiyama graduated from International Christian University in 1966 before embarking on a career in journalism. He joined the Japanese broadcaster TBS and later gained international experience working with the BBC World Service in London. Returning to TBS in 1971, he held the position of Washington bureau chief and earned recognition for securing a rare interview with then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

By the late 1980s, TBS sought to boost dwindling ratings with a remarkable venture: sending one of their journalists into space. The project, costing around $35 million—half of which was paid to the Soviet Union—also relied heavily on advertising revenues. Akiyama was selected as the network’s first cosmonaut and became the first Japanese citizen to travel into space. He underwent approximately 18 months of training, which he described as manageable and straightforward.

However, once in orbit, Akiyama faced unexpected difficulties adapting to the zero-gravity environment. He suffered from persistent nausea and frequent vomiting, which reportedly alarmed his Soviet cosmonaut colleagues. His live broadcasts from space, intended to provide journalistic insight, were often hampered by these challenges. Notably, his initial on-air words were a disoriented “Is this live?” He also unintentionally forgot essential personal items such as underwear.

Among his tasks in space was an unconventional experiment involving six frogs to observe their behavior in microgravity. While the plumper frogs appeared comfortable, the slimmer ones reportedly exhibited stress. Critics described some of these experiments as scientifically trivial and potentially inhumane. Despite an initial boost in viewer interest, audience engagement diminished over time, with repeated descriptions of bodily difficulties proving to be less than compelling television.

Nevertheless, Akiyama shared moments of personal reflection during his orbit, including a vivid dream in which his late mother visited and remarked on the vastness of his “apartment in the city of stars.” After returning safely to the Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan, he expressed a desire to enjoy simple earthly pleasures such as good food, smoking a cigarette, and having a beer. Later, he candidly remarked that he did not find space to be particularly enjoyable.

Akiyama was married twice. His first marriage to Koyoko ended in 1995, and he remarried Reiko in 1999. He is survived by his wife and three children. Toyohiro Akiyama passed away on August 26, 2026.