Note: If viewing Michael Jackson Ultimate Archive on archive.org (Wayback Machine), please view the latest snapshot of this page for the most up-to-date information and media.

Tokyo, Japan Arrival

Date confirmed in “New York Times” (archived) (“Michael Jackson arrived in Japan today [September 10, 1987]”)

“New York Times” (September 10, 1987) (archived)

Michael Jackson arrived in Japan today to begin his first solo world tour.

Wearing a checked shirt and his usual sunglasses, Mr. Jackson was greeted by hundreds of young girls, some of them screaming, who had trekked out to Tokyo's international airport, 30 miles from the city, to catch a glimpse of him.

More than 300,000 people are expected to see Mr. Jackson at his 13 concerts here between Saturday and Oct. 10. Tickets for all concerts were sold out almost immediately. Scalpers have pushed the price of a seat beyond $700.

Mr. Jackson last appeared in Japan in 1973 as a member of the Jackson Five.

His latest album, ''Bad,'' went on sale here last week and is selling briskly, a record company spokesman said. Mr. Jackson's last album, ''Thriller,'' is in the record books as the biggest selling album ever.

The normally staid economic daily newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun carried a report under the headline ''Michael Typhoon Lands Today.'' The article said the Jackson concerts might become the biggest musical event by a foreign artist ever held in Japan.

Chris Cadman, author, “Michael Jackson the Maestro”

Michael was greeted with mass hysteria at Narita’s airport, as his Japanese fans welcomed him for the first leg of the Bad tour. Nihon TV set up a special shop to sell tour merchandise. A specially charted Boeing 747 flew in: 100 speakers, 700 lights, two twenty four by eighteen foot screens and three lasers using 40 mirrors. 70 costumes would be worn with four of them decorated with fibre optic lighting.