Akiyama Toyohiro, a former TBS journalist, became known as "Space Correspondent" in 1990 when he conducted the world's first live broadcast from space. After 14 months of training under a contract with the Soviet Space Agency, he boarded the Soyuz spacecraft and stayed at the Mir space station. After returning to Earth, he was promoted to Deputy Director of TBS News Bureau, but left broadcasting in 1995 to become a farmer, growing rice in Fukushima Prefecture. In 2012, he retired from his position as Professor of Art at Kyoto University of Art and Design and resumed farming in Mie Prefecture. He passed away at the age of 84.
