FANATICAL Michael Jackson's fans everywhere are preparing to mark the one-year anniversary of his death from a drug overdose.
Jackson, 50, was found dead in his rented Los Angeles mansion on June 25 last year, a seismic celebrity death which triggered a global outpouring of tributes for the eccentric genius.
On Friday, Jackson fans are expected to pay their respects to their idol at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the suburb of Glendale, a star-studded cemetery where the singer's golden casket was entombed last September.
Jackson's final resting place is an elaborate neo-classical mausoleum which already houses Hollywood legends including Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.
In Japan, 50 hard-core fans plan to hold a slumber party on Friday, curling up in sleeping bags in an exhibition space that displays Jackson's crystal-studded gloves, concert costumes, awards and some 300 other possessions.
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The 50 admirers - one for each year of Jackson's life - were chosen from some 10,000 applicants who wanted to spend the night in the Neverland Collection at Tokyo Tower, said exhibit producer Matt Taylor.
The proceeds of 100,000 yen ($A1,263) each for the 10.30 pm to 8am sleepover will go to Jackson's family estate and his children, he said.
"It's going to be a wonderful night for the 50 people who get to stay with Michael's most cherished possessions, the things that were closest to him,'' Taylor said, adding that several non-Japanese are among the chosen ones.
More than half a million visitors have filed through the exhibit since it opened on May 1, and Jackson look-a-likes and Moonwalk-dancers have turned up at what has turned into a pilgrimage spot for diehard fans.
Back in LA, fans of Jackson will be barred from entering the mausoleum but will be allowed to walk past the building to lay flowers or wreaths, Glendale Police Sergeant Tom Lorenz said.
"A person will be able to go up and walk by the mausoleum," Lorenz said. "But they cannot enter the mausoleum. That is not going to happen."
Authorities are also discouraging fans from flocking to the cemetery en masse, hoping to avoid large crowds, Lorenz added.
"You're not going to be able to camp out over night. You're not going to be the first one in line with a chair parked on the sidewalk," he said.
Friday's anniversary will see a Jackson tribute event - Forever Michael - at a Beverly Hills hotel, with tickets priced at between $US150 ($A172.30) and $US500 ($A574.30). Members of Jackson's family are expected to attend the event.
"The vision is to bring together Michael Jackson family members, celebrities, fans, supporters and the community to celebrate and honour his legacy," a statement from the organisers said.
Jackson's death sent shockwaves rippling around the world last year, while family and fans were outraged after it emerged he had been given a cocktail of powerful prescription drugs including the anaesthetic, Propofol.
Propofol is used to induce unconsciousness in patients undergoing major surgery in hospital. Medical professionals say it should never be used by private individuals at home.
Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray, the last person to see the singer alive, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the case and is expected to stand trial next year. Murray denies the charges.
While the immediate aftermath of Jackson's death saw intense speculation about court-room wrangling for control of the singer's affairs, expected legal battles over his children and vast musical empire failed to materialise.
Jackson's mother, Katherine, was granted custody of the children Prince, 13, Paris, 12, and Blanket, 8, who are slowly adjusting to life without their father.
Katherine Jackson revealed on Sunday the children, who previously were home-schooled, will enrol in a school for the first time later this year.
"They don't have any friends," Jackson told Britain's Mail on Sunday newspaper. "They don't go to school; they have private lessons at home, but that will change in September when they are due to enrol at private college."
Meanwhile, Billboard magazine reported Jackson estate has generated more than $US1 billion ($A1.2 billion) dollars in revenues since the singer's death, through the re-issue of his music, films and other commercial spin-offs.
John McClain and John Branca, the veteran entertainment industry executives placed in charge of Jackson's estate, have compared the commercial bonanza to the industry built around Elvis Presley.
"To this day there's interest in Elvis. And I think there will be enduring interest in Michael," Branca said earlier this year after signing a deal with Sony worth an estimated $US250 million ($A287.2 million) over seven years.
"It's our job to continue to expose Michael to new generations."
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