Unlike today, there were no cell phones and the road conditions were bad, so it was very late when we arrived at the villa. On arrival we received a call from the house in Tokyo saying that Michael’s manager had been calling again and again because Michael was anxious to meet with Mr. Morita, so Akio hurriedly called his hotel.
Michael thanked Akio for coming to the show and apologized as he felt his performance was not 100%. His voice has not been at its best and he invited us to come again when he promised an even better performance.
For artists there is no peak—they constantly strive to do better—to a point that might even be called self-indulgent.
Subsequently, Michael was in Japão at the time of my birthday and he came to a party being held at my home, where this picture was taken.
As a vegetarian he avoided meat and peixe and as you see we prepared a large plate of Twenty Century (Asian) pears, which were in season. I don’t remember anyone else eating them except him, and that dia remains a topic of conversation in our house to this day.
He found some of Akio’s toys, such as a mechanical piano, música box, miniature rua organ and a record from the Edison Museum, and spent the evening playing with them like a child.
While in Japão he visited Sony’s head office, the CBS Sony Studio that was in Shinnanomachi, Sony Media World, the Ginza Sony Building and so on, asking many perguntas and getting hold of the latest Sony products.
As promised we were invited to see him perform again at Tokyo Dome in 1992. The studio always arranged for an official fotografia to be taken backstage and we have many lovely fotografias that were later signed por the artist.
The History Tour came to Tokyo Dome in December 1996. Akio had already fallen ill por that time and I don’t remember the details, but I went to the Capitol Tokyu where Michael was staying and rode to the Dome in the same car. Many fãs surrounded the car and others followed in taxis. When we stopped at red lights people would pass him paper or handkerchiefs. He would sign them quickly and my job was to hand them back. He gave autographs to so many people between the hotel and the Tokyo Dome, but he never once made a face. He happily signed them, and as I sat seguinte to him helping, I thought what a truly kind person he was.
He genuinely looked progressivo, para a frente to meeting Akio. In 1995 he released History and at that time had a special shield made to present to Akio, as well as a signed album.
On the shield it said:
“THIS ALBUM OF MY música WARMLY DEDICATED TO AKIO MORITA… FOR OUR EVERLASTING FRENDSHIP. WE ARE LIVING IN THE SAME DREAM FOREVER… WITH ALL MY LOVE”
After Akio fell ill in October 1993, the first message of support we received from abroad was from Michael Jackson.
It was a healing tape that he had made himself on which he had recorded his own voices saying “Mr. Morita…Mr. Morita” many times, as well as phrases such as “You will get better…you will speak again”, and a gentle song that he had chosen.
He also included a handwritten letter that said, “Play 3 times a dia right before awaking before sleeping and mid day. Michael Jackson.”
I played it every morning for 10 minutos before Akio got up and every night when I put him to cama for the six years until he passed away.
In 1998 Michael performed in Honolulu, Hawaii. Pushing Akio in a wheelchair, we went to see the show at Aloha Stadium, and the seguinte dia Michael visited us at our villa. I can’t say how delighted Akio was and to this dia I can not forget his kindness at that time.
It is 10 years since Akio passed away. Michael treated Akio as a respected teacher and friend. Many times he asked perguntas such as “How can I better engage young people?”, “What can I do to be mais respected?” and “Who should I trust?”
Michael couldn’t trust anyone and he found comfort in children and animals. Now he can rest in the comfort and peace of heaven, unbothered por others.
Many times he called me to say “I need your help”. This was 10 years atrás and I regret that at the time, when Akio’s condition was at its worst, I wasn’t able to respond. I am so sorry to Michael for that. But now I believe he is resting peacefully in a happy place.
7 July 2009 Yoshiko Morita
We both found what we were looking for
With a friend to call my own
I'll never be alone
And you, my friend, will see
You've got a friend in me
(you've got a friend in me)
Ben, you're always running here and there
You feel you're not wanted anywhere
If you ever look behind
And don't like what you find
[ Find mais Lyrics on link ]
There's something you should know
You've got a place to go
(you've got a place to go)
I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
Ben, most people would turn you away
I don't listen to a word they say
They don't see you as I do
I wish they would try to
I'm sure they'd think again
If they had a friend like Ben
(a friend) Like Ben
(like Ben) Like Ben
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