Toyohiro Akiyama was the first Japanese person sent to space. He was not a trained astronaut, scientist, nor an engineer. He was a TV reporter who smoked four packs of cigarettes a day. When asked what he looked forward to most upon his return to Earth, he said “I can’t wait to have a smoke”.

Toyohiro Akiyama was the first Japanese person sent to space. He was not a trained astronaut, scientist, nor an engineer. He was a TV reporter who smoked four packs of cigarettes a day. When asked what he looked forward to most upon his return to Earth, he said “I can’t wait to have a smoke”. [...]