Ayumi Hamasaki finishes 10th anniversary tour

TOKYO —Singer Ayumi Hamasaki, 29, on Sunday night finished her nationwide tour marking the 10th anniversary of her debut in Tokyo. She held 17 concerts in 10 cities since April, attracting 230,000 fans.

Hamasaki, who revealed in January that she had lost the hearing ability in her left ear, said she also had been suffering stress since the death of a close friend last autumn. Wiping away tears, she told fans, “I appreciate all of you who came to my concerts nationwide. Thank you for a great time.”

Prior to Sunday’s concert, she wrote on her official blog: “I’m a happy person. I’ve never lost anything because my fans support me. They are my left ear.”

Hamasaki will tour Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taiwan from September. She said, “With the energy you gave me, I can manage the Asian tour.”