1,400 Japanese fans gather at 20th anniversary of Lennon's death

John Lennon was shot dead by a mentally disturbed fan, Mark David Chapman, outside his New York apartment building on December 8, 1980. The event, Memorial Three Days, was held at John Lennon Museum in Saitama, about 40 kilometres north of Tokyo. The event is scheduled until Sunday. The world's first museum was opened on October 9 by Yoko Ono, the widow of Lennon.

During the three-day event, Japanese musicians will hold a total of five concerts dedicated to Lennon. "All participants will sing his famous song, "Imagine", at 10:50 p.m. on Friday, the time Lennon was shot, " said museum spokesman Junichi Akutsu.

The museum has put a big picure of Lennon in front of the entrance and a space where fans could lay flowers for him. "It is a special day for me. I can't believe the time passed so fast," said Mitsuru Iso, a 38-year-old fan of Lennon.

The John Lennon Museum has on display some 130 items from Lennon's life, including guitars, costumes, his trademark glasses, lyrics notebook and photos of Lennon with wife and his son Sean. More than 53,000 people had visited the museum through the end of November.

(la/dpa)