Jackson cancels Asian tour

Jackson cancels Asian tour

TAIPEI (DPA): U.S. pop star Michael Jackson has canceled his Asian tour owing to the smog from Indonesian forest fires blanketing much of Southeast Asia, a Taiwan promoter said yesterday.

"Since he can't perform in Indonesia, he has canceled the Asian tour and will take a rest after the South Africa tour," said Wang Chun-huan from the Landis Group.

"He will make the Asian tour next spring."

Wang added: "We have been watching the smog closely, hoping the monsoon can drench the fire and clear up the smog. But the monsoon has not come yet."

Michael Jackson was scheduled to arrive in Taiwan in November from South Africa, to kick off the Asian leg of his HISTORY 1997 -- Blood On The Dance Floor tour. He planned to hold three concerts in Taiwan before giving performances in Jakarta, Shanghai and Tokyo.

Forest fires in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Java, blamed mostly on forestry and plantation companies' land clearing practices, have for the past three months threatened the health of millions of people in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and parts of Thailand and the Philippines.