On May 5 (Fri) (Eastern daylight time), Minister Kenji Kosaka of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and NASA Administrator Michael Griffin agreed the Japanese astronaut to be aboard the Space Shuttle flight for the first transportation and assembly of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) "Kibo" of the International Space Station (ISS) during their meeting in Washington DC, USA.

The Kibo, which has been developed by Japan as part of the ISS, is scheduled to be delivered to the ISS by three Space Shuttle flights. The first mission is to transport and assemble the Kibo Experiment Logistic Module (ELM) Pressurized Section to the ISS.

Full details here:

http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2006/05/20060506_kibo_e.html