Velvet Revolver cancel Japan tour

Velvet Revolver last toured Japan in 2005

US rock band Velvet Revolver have cancelled their tour of Japan after being denied visas by the authorities.

Japanese immigration officials refused the visas due to some of the band members' previous run-ins with the law.

"We don't understand why the authorities won't give us visas when they granted them for us in 2005," the band said on their website.

Velvet Revolver had been due to perform in Tokyo and three other Japanese cities from 26-30 November.

The band, which features former members of Guns N' Roses and Stone Temple Pilots said they were appealing the decision.

Drug conviction

"We want to apologise to our fans in Japan that we won't be able to perform our scheduled concerts," they said.

"The increasingly tough Japanese immigration officials are taking exception with the backgrounds of various band members, which have included arrests."

The immigration department at the justice ministry could not comment on the case, but under Japanese law anyone with a drug conviction can be refused entry.

Lead singer Scott Weiland has been arrested several times on drug-related charges, the last time in 2003.

However the band last toured Japan without incident in 2005.

Velvet Revolver will continue to start their Australian tour as scheduled on 4 December.