Norishige Kanai Status: Active 12/5/1976 – Nationality: Japanese Type: Government Agency: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Norishige Kanai, M.D. is a Japanese doctor and JAXA astronaut. He is a lieutenant and Diving Medical Officer in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Medical Service Division, 1st Service School). He served as a crew member on board the International Space Station for Expedition 54/55, and returned to Earth on June 3 2018.