Three Japanese astronauts have been certified as U.S. space shuttle mission specialists, officials at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said Tuesday.
The NASA qualification means Satoshi Furukawa, 41, Akihiko Hoshide, 37, and Naoko Yamazaki, 35, can be closely involved in all shuttle operations and walk in space, the officials said.
They can also work on attaching Japan's first manned laboratory, Kibo, to the International Space Station.
NASA issued the certifications Friday when the three astronauts completed a training program.
Japan now has eight mission specialists, including Soichi Noguchi, who participated in the most recent flight of the space shuttle Discovery last July.