Japanese pop star deaf in one ear
Hugely successful Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki has revealed she is deaf in her left ear, but vowed to go ahead with her tour of Asia earlier this year.
The 29-year old celebrity wrote on her blog that her left ear "doesn't work anymore" and that it was inoperable.
The star is thought to have tinnitus, a ringing in the ear that can be caused by constant exposure to sound.
Ayumi is Japan's top-selling singer scoring 28 number one hits and has sold nearly 50 million albums.
She has known of her condition since going for an ear check last year. She said: "Even so, I would like to continue as a singer. I'd like to continue singing until I reach the limit with my remaining right ear," she wrote on her members-only fansite.
"As a professional, I would like to deliver the best performance for everyone."
Ayumi's recent tour was to promote her ninth album, Guilty.
