Virus-hit McCartney cancels two Japan concerts

Paul McCartney (AP File Photo)

TOKYO — Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney cancelled a scheduled concert in Tokyo for the second night in row Sunday after contracting a virus, saying he was “sorry” for letting fans down.

The 71-year-old English pop veteran had already cancelled a planned performance at the National Stadium on Saturday, the day after coming down with an unspecified virus.

He had planned to play a concert at the same stadium on Sunday and another on Monday to make up for the cancelled Saturday show.

“Unfortunately my condition has not improved overnight. I was really hoping that I’d be feeling better today,” McCartney said in a message posted on the official Facebook site of his Japan tour, “Out There Japan Tour 2014.”

“I’m so disappointed and sorry to be letting my fans down.”

Both Sunday and Monday’s concerts were called off, but McCartney is expected to go ahead with the tour’s two remaining concerts at Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan hall on Wednesday and at the Nagai stadium in Osaka on Saturday, organisers said.

“Doctors have ordered Paul complete rest and he has been doing all he can to get better,” a spokesperson for the former Beatle said.

“Paul has only ever had to reschedule a handful of shows in his entire career and is so upset about this situation, he hates to let people down.”

McCartney flew into Tokyo after a short rest at home in London following a strenuous South American tour.

In an earlier tour of Japan in November last year, he was seen singing 39 songs non-stop without retreating backstage.

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