First Non-American Astronaut to Land on Moon Will be a Japanese

A Japanese astronaut will be the first non-American to land on the Moon. This was revealed by US President Joe Biden during a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

The Japanese astronaut will reach the moon as part of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon for the first time since the end of Apollo missions in 1972.

Biden said, “Two Japanese astronauts will join future American missions, and one will become the first non-American ever to land on the Moon.”

In response, Kishida hailed the announcement as a “huge achievement” and committed Japan to contribute a rover to the Artemis program.

In 2026, Artemis 3 will mark the first mission to bring astronauts back to the lunar surface. China is planning to land humans on the Moon by 2030.