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TOKYO: Devoted fans of Michael Jackson across Asia said farewell to the "King of Pop" on Tuesday, singing his greatest hits, watching videos and gathering for a late-night viewing of the memorial in Los Angeles.
From Hong Kong and Japan to Australia, Jackson enthusiasts prepared to stay up into the small hours to see the star-studded final tribute to the pop icon broadcast live from the Staples Center from 1700 GMT on Tuesday.
In Tokyo, hundreds of fans flocked to Tower Records in the fashionable Shibuya shopping district for a series of free viewings of Jackson's videos, including clips from the ground-breaking "Thriller", "Billie Jean" and "Bad".
"I still cannot believe he really died," said Eri Kato, 24. "His spirit will live on in his music."
The Tokyo store's general manager Tatsuro Yagawa said three video sessions had been organised over two days, for a total of 500 fans, because people had crowded around a small television screen in the store showing Jackson videos.
"I saw tears in some people's eyes as they were watching him. We wanted to mourn his passing with those fans with a better screen and a better sound system," Yagawa said.
The store also displayed a poster for people to write messages on, planning to later take it to Jackson's grave in the United States.
One message recalled one of the Jackson Five's most memorable songs, reading: "Never can say goodbye, MJ!!"
Jackson, who was hugely popular in Japan and drew screaming crowds in recent years, died on June 25 in Los Angeles at age 50 from an apparent cardiac arrest.
In Hong Kong, thousands of fans gathered at a shopping mall to say goodbye to the troubled singer.
Organisers, who estimated 35,000 people had turned up between 10:00 am and 9:00 pm, asked mourners to wear black or white - another reference to a mega-Jackson hit - and bring a red rose.
After the ceremony in the southern Chinese city, which was to feature a performance of Jackson's "You Are Not Alone", participants were expected to camp out to watch the memorial - which begins at 1:00 am Hong Kong time.
Dancer Justin Chung, 18, who performed at the ceremony, said: "I will love Jackson forever. He has been my life since I heard Billie Jean and I wish him nothing but happiness."
The Consul General of Pakistan, Ahmad Balal, who was at the event with his family, said: "We feel like part of the international community and together we are sharing the joy and the grief of his life."
"I've loved him since 1989," added Rainbow Wong, 61. "I bought my first cassette while I was visiting my brother in the UK."
In Australia, fans in Melbourne were expected to brave both the pre-dawn darkness and icy temperatures to watch the Jackson memorial on a giant television screen in the city's central plaza, Federation Square.
"Fed Square has become a place for the community to come together both in celebration and in times of mourning," said city spokeswoman Jan Sydenham Clarke.
It was to be the largest public gathering for Australia's Jackson fans, with many choosing to watch the memorial at home due to the cool weather - forecasts called temperatures of three degrees Celsius (37 Fahrenheit).
A funeral home and crematorium in the country's tropical north will open its doors to hundreds of fans ahead of the broadcast for a public wake.
"There will be tears but it is also a celebration of his life," funeral director Reyad Hage told reporters in Cairns.
"We will be roping off an area to let people dance in the carpark if that's what they want to do."
In South Korea, the country's most celebrated singer, Rain, said Jackson's music was an inspiration for him.
"He was the best performer in the world. He will live forever in my heart as my idol," he said. - AFP/de
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