. >>> a russian soyuz spacecraft has successfully lifted off carrying japan's satoshi furukawa and twother astronauts. >> liftoff. >> we have liftoff of the soyuz 27 rocket and spacecraft carrying mike fossum, satoshi furukawa and sergei vokoff into orbit. it was launched from the baikonur cosmodrome in kazakhstan. the ship jet issonned rockets on its ascent. the soyuz is due to arrive at the international space station on friday. this is fuhr u caw wa's first flight since he was chosen as a cabinet astronaut two years ago. he's scheduled to stay on the space station for about five months. he'll be joined next month by the crew of the last space shuttle mission. he'll carry out scientific and medical experiments using his expertise as a surgeon. >>> japan plans to begin checking imported perishable foods next week for e. coli as an outbreak of a deadly strain continues to spread in europe. the e. coli scare has spread to 13 european countries and there have been fatalities mainly in germany. japan's health ministry decided to test 1% of imported vegetables, meat, fruit and other perish

the three new crew members including japanese astronaut satoshi furukawa will move to the international space station after performing a series of safety checks. furukawa along with mike fossum and sergei volkov will live and work at the space station for about five months. they will conduct scientific experiments and carry out research. >>> japan's defense ministry has released video footage showing a chinese navy ship passing through international waters between the islands of japan's southern-most prefecture of okinawa. this is the first footage of a chinese navy vessel video released by japan's self-defense forces. the chinese navy has been increasingly active in recent years and passing through okinawa's main islands. the defense ministry says the self-defense forces are continuing to watch the chinese fleet. they believe the chinese navy aims to improve its long-term activities in the open sea. china's defense ministry has said the navy fleet will conduct exercises in the west pacific from mid through late june, adding that the drills are routine and comply with international laws

. >> japanese astronaut satoshi furukawa, nasa astronaut, mike fossum, and russian cosmonaut, sergei volkov moved in on friday joining three others on board. they then contacted their families and officials at the russian mission control center near moscow. >> furukawa is scheduled to stay on board the station until november. he will take part in various medical experiments using his expertise as a surgeon. >>> japan's meteorological agency is trying to prepare people for the hot and humid summer. concern is high because the country's nuclear crisis could trigger a power shortage. in an effort to keep people safe and informed, the meteorological agency will start issuing temperature advisories, or heat advisories, for mid july. they will cover all areas of japan, except for hokkaido and okinawa, where power shortages are not expected. the advisories will be issued for each region when the temperatures are forecast to be 35 degrees celsius or higher. now, last summer more than 1,600 people died of heatstroke in japan between july and september. the environmental ministry said the numb