InsideJapan News Network

A Japanese astronaut who is due to come back to earth today (July 31st) will see scientists check out his pants - which he has kept on for a whole month.

Koichi Wakata has been aboard the shuttle Endeavour for the past month and in space for around four and a half months, working on the new Japanese space station.

Mr Wakata has been wearing a new type of underwear, designed in Japan, which aim to be odour free.

And on his return to earth, the astronaut will give his pants to a group of scientists who will check whether the high-tech undergarments live up to their claim.

The underwear is anti-bacterial, water-absorbent and odour eliminating.

It is called J-Wear and has been specially designed for space travel.

Mr Wakata told the Associated Press: "I wore them for about a month and my station crew members never complained for about a month, so I think the experiment went fine."

The Japanese space station and laboratory, Kibo, was recently completed after being under construction for more than a year.

Written by Kimberley Homer.