The original five members first hit the charts in 1981

The five members, who shot to fame with hits like Hungry Like The Wolf, Save a Prayer and A View To A Kill, started their comeback world tour in Osaka on Monday.

The tour marks 25 years since the band formed in Birmingham - but they said "this is not just some revival band".

Their Japanese dates finish on Friday in Tokyo - where 8,000 tickets sold out in 30 minutes.

Watch Duran Duran perform Hungry Like The Wolf on Top of the Pops in 1982

The 1980s pop idols then go to the US, where they will play their first American show together for 18 years, in Orange County, California, on 16 July.

They will also play a couple of dates in Las Vegas - tickets for one of the 2,000-capacity shows were snapped up in six minutes.

It's all about chemistry - that only happens once in a lifetime John Taylor Bassist

More dates around the globe are expected to be announced soon. The tour comes ahead of the release of their 13th album.

"The new album is near completion," keyboard player Nick Rhodes told reporters on Thursday.

"The tour is to get some energy for the final recording."

Rhodes and singer Simon Le Bon have been the constant band members over the last 25 years as other founding stars left and new musicians came in.

Getting on

Drummer Roger Taylor, who left after Live Aid, said: "These guys had very successful records in the 1990s, so this is not just some revival band."

And bassist John Taylor said the five were now getting on well.

"It's all about chemistry. That only happens once in a lifetime if you're lucky," he said.