TOKYO:

They paid $3,400 each and were dressed in their evening finest, but Michael Jackson fans still needed to shiver in the cold for nearly an hour to see the reclusive former King of Pop.

Jackson was the star attraction at a party on March 8 in Tokyo where hundreds of fans could spend a matter of seconds with him — if they paid 400,000 yen for a ticket.

But the guests, many wearing tuxedos and evening gowns, first had to stand in the chilly evening outside the venue as they waited for the superstar to show up.

Jackson arrived around nearly an hour late in a black van and then disappeared into the club to a sea of shrieks and screams.

A group of young women held up a banner reading “Michael” with the letters made up of drawings of the singer strutting his stuff.

Aya, a 20-year-old student, said she had been preparing the banner with friends since November. “Though we didn’t get tickets, we’ll be happy if he could just see our banner.”

Promoters said they sold more than 300 tickets — meaning the party would rake in at least $ 1 million.

Jackson was to deliver a speech. But while guests will get to take their picture with him, he was not scheduled to perform.