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"SMAP×SMAP"

Date confirmed in “Japan Zone” (“last night [May 31, 2006]”) / Aired June 5, 2006

Michael Jackson, "SMAP×SMAP" speech transcript

[Asked if he enjoyed the group’s performance by member Masahiro Nakai:]

Yes. Very happy to be here. I enjoyed the performance. It was very nice.

[Michael on being in Japan:]

I am very happy to be here in Japan, and I think you are wonderful, lovely people. I mean it. Thank you for accepting me. Really.

I learned about [SMAP] today. I enjoyed what I saw upstairs. Very, very good. I just wanted to surprise you and say thank you so much for having me and God bless you and good luck on everything.

“Japan Zone” (June 1, 2006) (archived)

The members of pop group SMAP got quite a surprise last night when Michael Jackson made an unannounced visit to the studio where they were recording the Fuji TV show “SMAPxSMAP”. Jackson arrived on the set in the middle of a performance, catching the five local superstars completely by surprise. Group leader Nakai Masahiro (33) could only gape, wide-mouthed, while Katori Shingo (29) fell laughing to the floor at the sight of “nama Maikeru”. After they recovered, they exchanged high fives and Jackson chatted with them for about ten minutes and praised their singing (well, as a guest I suppose you have to be polite!). His appearance will be included on the episode that airs on Monday, June 5.