Patti Smith has come to Japan to celebrate the release of her autobiography, "Just Kids," and her poetry collection, "Signs of Innocence." Both works have been on sale since December 21, 2012. She will also be embarking on her first solo live tour across the country in 10 years. The tour will take her to Tokyo, Sendai, an area affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, and Hiroshima, a place that Patti herself has a strong connection to.

Patti Smith will be touring extensively across the country on this tour. "We wanted to take a holistic approach and go to places we've never been before. All of the band members wanted to visit Sendai, a disaster-stricken area. We want to do what we can through this tour, such as donating to schools in Sendai. I've also always had a strong interest in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. My father was a US soldier who fought in World War II, and he was deeply saddened by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He showed me Life magazines and explained the events to me when I was little. I couldn't believe my country would do something like that, but I promised my father that one day I would go to Japan and say, 'I'm sorry.' In Hiroshima, I want to offer prayers from my father's soul through my own."

As a fashion icon, Patty has been the inspiration for designer brands such as Ann Demeulemeester. For the day, she wore an Ann Demeulemeester jacket and jeans. When asked about her continued influence on them, she replied, "It's a great honor. I've been influenced by many different things, so I'm very happy to be able to give something back to others."

At the end of the press conference, band member and guitarist Lenny Kaye surprised everyone by appearing live. Patti sang two songs: "Wing" from the album "Gone Again" and "People Have the Power" from the album "Dream of Life."

Patti Smith was born in Chicago, USA in 1946. In 1967, she had a fateful encounter with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in New York. She made her debut as a poet in 1971, and in 1975 formed the Patti Smith Group and released the album "Hoses." She remains revered by many musicians as a pioneer of New York punk. Her book "Just Kids" won the 2010 National Book Award for Nonfiction.