Japanese astronaut Wakata Koichi has paid a courtesy visit to Japan's science minister and told him that he is excited and determined to head to the International Space Station in September.

Wakata, who is temporarily back in Japan after training in the United States, is heading to the ISS on a private US spacecraft in September. The mission would be his fifth, a record for Japanese astronauts.

Wakata told science minister Suematsu Shinsuke on Tuesday that his mission will mark a third straight year of space flights by Japanese astronauts, following those of Noguchi Soichi and Hoshide Akihiko.

Wakata said this is proof of great trust in Japan's manned space activities.

With his next mission, Wakata is set to break his own record for most space flights by a Japanese astronaut.

He said that during his long-term stay on the ISS, he will conduct technical demonstrations for private companies' space development and for a lunar probe program.