POP/ROCK - June 16, 1987

Madonna, in Japan to kick off a three-month international tour, has set off waves of hysteria among fans there. Hundreds of photographers and schoolgirls gave the sultry singer a raucous welcome when she arrived last week, with many fans reportedly lining up at the airport before dawn for a glimpse of the 28-year-old rock star. “It was unbelievable, complete madness and pandemonium,” Liz Rosenberg of Warner Bros. Records, the recording artist’s label, said Saturday. “It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and I’m sure Madonna hasn’t either.” After her two Osaka shows, Madonna is scheduled to hit Tokyo Wednesday to rehearse for three more concerts set for this weekend.