Japanese astronaut tells about his admiration for Kazakhstan

The delegation headed by President of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Hiroshi Yamakawa will take part in the forthcoming 5th International Exhibition of Weapons Systems and Military Equipment "KADEX 2018" in Astana.

He remembered with warmth the time spent with the Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov during an ISS expedition in 2015. The Japanese astronaut was in orbit for 141 days.

Kimiya Yui said he is very delighted about the opportunity to take part in the events dedicated to the 25th Anniversary of the establishment of KazCosmos, and to visit the capital of Kazakhstan shortly before its 20th Anniversary.

According to the Japanese astronaut, Kazakhstan is a large and beautiful country as clearly seen from space.

"Any astronaut pays special reverence to Kazakhstan because its territory is the launch site and the place of return to Earth," he said, reminding that Japanese astronaut Norishige Kanai is to return to Earth in June 2018.

Kimiya Yui pointed to the hospitality and similarities of cultures of the peoples of Kazakhstan and Japan, and expressed readiness to assist in popularizing Kazakhstan among the Japanese population.

In turn, Ambassador Yerlan Baudarbek-Kozhatayev told about President Nursultan Nazarbayev's crucial role in the development of Kazakhstan's aerospace industry and expressed hope for further cooperation with JAXA.