Japanese astronaut Furukawa Satoshi, who returned to Earth after spending about six months orbiting the planet, has offered encouragement to children hoping to go to space in an online news conference.
Furukawa returned on March 12 from the International Space Station, where he had been since last August.
He conducted various experiments there, such as regenerating water for future probes on the Moon and Mars.
Furukawa spoke to Japanese media on Wednesday from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, where he has been in rehab to help him adjust to life back on Earth.
Referring to his physical condition, he said he was able to minimize loss of muscle and bone mass because he used a good exercise machine in space.
But he said his spine and hip joints had lost more flexibility than he had expected, which made him realize that you age faster in space.
He also encouraged aspiring astronauts to find something they like, study toward that goal, and work hard with a vision of what kind of person they want to become.
About his future plans, Furukawa said he hopes to contribute to progress in Japan's manned space technology by conveying his experiences in space. He said he has not yet decided anything concrete.