Japanese fashion tycoon says space trip ‘amazing’
MOSCOW – A Japanese space tourist on Monday rejected criticism from those who questioned his decision to pay a fortune for a trip to the International Space Station, saying the “amazing” experience was worth it.
Speaking to The Associated Press in a live interview from the orbiting space outpost, billionaire fashion tycoon Yusaku Maezawa said even though he had imagined what his mission would be like before the flight, he was struck by the reality of space travel.
“Once you are in space, you realize how much it is worth it by having this amazing experience,” he told the AP in the first TV interview since he arrived at the station. “And I believe that this amazing experience will lead to something else.”
Maezawa, 46, and his 36-year-old producer Yozo Hirano are the first selfpaying tourists to visit the space station since 2009. Asked about reports claiming that he paid more than $80 million for a 12-day mission, Maezawa said he couldn’t disclose the contract sum but admitted that he paid “pretty much” that amount.
In October, Russian actor Yulia Peresild and film director Klim Shipenko spent 12 days on the station to make the world’s first movie in orbit, a project sponsored by Russia’s space corporation Roscosmos to help burnish the nation’s space glory.
Maezawa deflected the criticism from those who questioned his decision to spend money on his space travel instead of helping people on Earth.