By GEORGINA LITTLEJOHN

Compassion: Lady Gaga wipes away her tears as she remembers the victims of the Japanese earthquake at a press conference in Tokyo today


She donated more than £1million out of her own pocket towards relief efforts after the Japanese earthquake and another £500,000 from sales of her charity bracelet.

So it was no surprise to see the Lady Gaga compassionately shed a tear for the victims of the disaster which devastated the country in March.

The singer was at a press conference in Tokyo today to promote the MTV Video Music Awards Japan.


Choked up: The tears falling down her face, Gaga struggles to compose herself


She will be performing at the awards, which take place on Saturday, which have been renamed Video Music Aid Japan and will raise money for the Japanese Red Cross.

Today Gaga broke down as she spoke about her love for the country.

She said: 'I am always so inspired when I come to Japan, inspired by the spirit, the passion, the love, the absolutely infectious joy of Tokyo.'


Hello, Tokyo: Gaga arrived at the press conference in her new aquamarine wig and black Aladdin pants


And she encouraged people from all over the world to visit the country, which has seen a huge plunge in tourism since the disaster, the nation's biggest recorded earthquake struck.

It created a tsunami that caused widespread destruction and set off a crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant about 140 miles (220 kilometers) north of Tokyo.

It killed almost 20,000 people, tens of thousands more were left homeless and thousands of others were forced to leave homes near the plant because of the radiation danger.



Please visit: Gaga urged tourists to come to Japan declaring it 'beautiful' and 'safe'


Wearing a long aquamarine wig, she said: 'I can't say enough to people all over the world that the majority of Japan right now, Japan in general, is very safe. It's fine to come here. It's beautiful.

'The most important thing, and the best thing, we could do for Japan right now is to boost tourism.

'I would like to use my position here today and all week long to run around Tokyo enjoy the beautiful city and kiss all the beautiful little monsters and scream at the top of my lungs that everyone should come visit this beautiful place.'


Thirsty work: Gaga sipped from a china tea cup which had Japanese characters that read 'Pray For Japan' across it


For luck: The singer kisses an Okiagari-Koboshi, a traditional Japanese doll


During the press conference, she sipped tea from a china cup that was painted with Japanese characters that read 'We pray for Japan'.

She was also presented with an 'Okiagari-koboshi' - which means 'getting up little priest' - a Japanese traditional tumble doll that is considered a good-luck charm and a symbol of perseverance and resilience

GaGa arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday, days in advance of her performance on Saturday's Music Aid Japan benefit concert which will be broadcast live to an estimated 30 million households in Japan, Korea, Singapore and China.


For her Little Monsters: Gaga stopped to sign autographs as she left a restaurant last night...


... and kept her faithful followers happy as she stopped to greet fans at the airport


Last night she was bombarded by fans as she left Shabuzen, a popular restaurant that specialise in a common Japanese dish called Shabu-shabu, which is a Japanese hot pot, in the trendy night life area of Roppongi, in Tokyo.

But ever gracious to her 'Little Monsters', she happily stopped and signed autographs for them, just as she did when she arrived at Narita International Airport.


Just put your paws up: Gaga gives her trademark claw-hand sign and then waves to her fans as she heads out of the airport


Lady Gaga at the MTV Video Music Aid Japan press conference (june 2011)



source: dailymail