The Prime Minister Receives a Courtesy Call from Astronaut Koichi Wakata
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Photograph of Prime Minister Hatoyama shaking hands with Astronaut Koichi Wakata
Photograph of Prime Minister Hatoyama listening to Astronaut Koichi Wakata's explanations
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama received a courtesy call from Mr. Koichi
Wakata, an astronaut, at the Prime Minister's Office. Astronaut Wakata,
who was aboard the space shuttle Discovery launched by the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) this March, returned to the
Earth in July after completing a 4.5-month long-term mission on the
International Space Station (ISS).
Using models of a space shuttle and the ISS that he brought with him, Astronaut Wakata explained to the Prime Minister their mechanisms. While asking questions, Prime Minister Hatoyama listened to the explanation attentively.