Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and US President Joe Biden say Japanese astronauts will become the first from outside the US to take part in a NASA mission to the moon. They made the announcement in Washington on Wednesday.
Only Americans have ever set foot on the lunar surface, the last time being more than 50 years ago. Officials with NASA's Artemis program are hoping to start sending astronauts to the moon again in 2026.
Japanese science minister Moriyama Masahito and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson signed a deal on Tuesday outlining their shared goals. Japanese astronauts are expected to join two expeditions. While there, they will operate a vehicle developed by Japan's space agency, JAXA, Toyota Motor and other companies.
Moriyama said his country's government, industry and academia are coming together to develop a rover that can withstand the moon's intense environment.
Nelson said when "two great nations work together," they can extend their reach "into the stars."
Japanese government officials say researching and developing the rover will cost several hundred billion yen.
Editorial note: An earlier report was incorrect in the estimated cost for researching and developing the rover.
The original sentence said "Japanese government officials say researching and developing the rover will cost several million dollars, and they are hoping to see it go into operation in 2029. Its cabin will have air pressure and an environment similar to that on Earth. "
The correct sentence is "Japanese government officials say researching and developing the rover will cost several hundred billion yen."