Astronaut set to become Japan's first mother in space

Tokyo: A Japanese mother is set to become Japan's first mother to go to space, Japan's space agency said on Tuesday.

Naoko Yamazaki, mother of a 6-year-old girl, will board space shuttle Atlantis in 2010 for a two-week flight, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) said.

"There have been times when it was hard to balance work and child rearing," the 37-year-old Yamazaki told a news conference.

"My daughter is starting to understand about space and space shuttles...She told me 'Now, you'll be the one to ride that, mummy. I'm very happy'."

Yamazaki will be the second Japanese woman to go into space after Chiaki Mukai, who went in 1994 and 1998, and Japan's seventh astronaut over all, Jaxa said.

In this mission, the Atlantis will carry materials for the International Space Station, the spokeswoman said.