CHIBA, Japan - Thousands of Japanese rocked to the rhythm of a virtual techno beat act on Saturday in the second of nine concerts worldwide aimed at persuading the globe to go green.

Following in the footsteps of the Live Aid and Live 8 mega-gigs, Live Earth hopes to reach up to two billion people through radio, television and the Internet, and features acts including Madonna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snow Patrol and Snoop Dogg in nine concerts to be held around the world.

Lumi, the female vocal for Genki Rockets, appeared in an anime hologram and performed several numbers to the crowd -- expected to swell to around 10,000 -- that filled the Makuhari Messe hall just east of Tokyo.

"The earth glows like a blue star," said Lumi, who described herself as a 17-year-old born in outer space.

She then introduced organizer Al Gore, who also appeared in a hologram.

"Now is the time to begin to heal the planet," the former U.S. vice president and environmentalist, told the crowd.

Gore said the concerts, which kicked off in Australia earlier on Saturday and will end at Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach, were the start of a three- to five-year campaign to promote awareness of climate change.

"Live Earth is all about answering the call," he said, adding that the planet was sending out an "S.O.S" message on the need to curb greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, and slow global warming.

Gore said he wanted Live Earth viewers to pressure leaders to sign a new treaty by 2009 that would cut global warming pollution by 90 percent in rich nations and more than half worldwide by 2050.

There is widespread cynicism among fans and campaigners about using rockers renowned for their conspicuous consumption to promote green living, but some concert goers saw it differently.

"It's a great cause for the rest of the world to stand up and take heed," said Tony Andrews, who took his children to the Sydney concert.

ARTISTS HIT BACK

Some stars appearing at the concerts also hit back at the criticism.

"I can't really talk much about being eco-friendly when I'm playing electric guitars that use electricity and drums that are made of wood," said Jesse, frontman for Japanese rock bank

RIZE.

"But I think we can be aware about not wasting things. My grandmother used to scare me by saying that I'd go blind if I wasted a grain of rice," he told a news conference after the band's performance.

At the Japan venue, visitors were asked to report how they came to the concert, whether by public transport or by car, part of an effort by organizers to keep the "carbon footprint" of Live Earth to a minimum.

Fans were also told to separate their rubbish into nine categories in a bid to recycle resources.

After Sydney and Tokyo, the concert moves to Johannesburg, Shanghai, London, Hamburg, New Jersey, Washington and Rio de Janeiro.

There will also be footage from Antarctica, where the previously unknown band Nunatak, comprising two engineers, a marine biologist, a meteorologist and a polar guide at a remote British research station, have recorded a short set.

The "gig" in front of 17 fellow researchers allows Gore to keep his promise to hold at least one concert on all seven continents on the date 7/7/7.