newspaper

JAPENESE FANS MOURN ROCKER'S DEATH

By CHISAKI WATANABE
c. The Associated Press
TOKYO (May 7)

        Tens of thousands of young fans shut down central Tokyo today in an extraordinary outpouring of grief for a rock guitarist who hanged himself One fan followed him in suicide, and two tried. Helicopters buzzed over the Buddhist temple where as many as 50 000 lined up outside services for Hideto 'hide' Matsumoto. TV networks went live as ambulances carted away dozens overcome by emotion and the 82-degree (28c) heat.

          Matsumoto killed himself on Saturday, leaving nothing to explain why. His group (X-JAPAN, one of Japan's most popular) broke up in September, Matsumoto had a solo tour planned for the summer.

          'I can't believe he's dead',said Mayumi Meguro, a 21 years old part-time worker who took today off for the services. She stood in line with throngs of people in their teens and 20s, many in black, many with the brightly dyed hair that was a trademark of X-JAPAN. They waited to sign their names and leave flowers.

          Initially unprepared for the turnout, workers at Honganji Temple set up a first-aid room after about 12 000 fans visited the temple for Matsumoto's wake Wednesday. By late today, 26 people had been hospitalized. Police sent helicopters, boats and about 100 officers to the temple. Another 170 private security guards were deployed to keep the fans from disrupting traffic. Alarmed by the response, Matsumoto's old band mates have urged mourning fans to stay calm. They have reason to be fearful.

          A 14 years old girl was declared dead today after hanging herself Monday night at her home in Tokyo, using a towel tied around her neck, the same method Matsumoto used. Another girl jumped from a bridge Monday night butsurvived, and on Wednesday a 19 years old woman who attended the wake was taken to the emergency room after she cut her wrist with a paper knife. A monk at the temple, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the cuts were superficial. If precedent holds, more attempts could follow.

          Matsumoto's death was only the latest in a series of high-profile suicides that have dominated Japenese headlines in recent weeks - chiefly of businessmen and bureaucrats linked to a government scandal. A rash of suicides followed the death of singer Yutaka Ozaki in 1992, and some parents standing in line with their children for today's service said they were apprehensive. 'I am here to make sure my daughter comes home afterward', said Kazuko Ishiwata. 'I am worried about her, even though she has said she wouldn't do anything like that'.