A popular Japanese girl band set up by an executive board member of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics organising committee has been criticised for giving a Halloween concert in costumes modelled on Nazi Waffen-SS uniforms.
Keyakizaka46, a spin-off of the phenomenally popular AKB48 J-pop stable formed by Yasushi Akimoto, donned black military-style costumes similar to those worn by the paramilitary wing of Hitlers Nazi party. Publicity photos showed members wearing peaked caps featuring a bird insignia that resembles the Parteiadler eagle emblem of the Nazis.
Twitter user @batayanF3 wrote: Just because you didnt know or because you dont praise Nazis doesnt mean you can do this kind of thing. Its unforgivable considering how influential they are as talents. Another, @buppii21, suggested the members of the group, aged from 15 to 21, should read the Diary of Anne Frank.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...arks-anger-with-nazi-style-halloween-costumes
http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/apps/nlnet/content.aspx?c=lsKWLbPJLnF&b=8776547&ct=14928375Simon Wiesenthal Center Urges Producer and Sony Music to Apologize over the use of Nazi-themed Costumes by Japanese Girls Group, Keyakizaka46
We are calling on Sony Music and the groups producer, Yasushi Akimoto to apologize for this inappropriate and deeply offensive presentation, charged Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Watching young teens on the stage and in the audience dancing in Nazi-style uniforms causes great distress to the victims of the Nazi genocide.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/japanes...-nazi-outfits-wiesenthal-center-sony-apology/We express our heartfelt apology for causing offense ... because of our lack of understanding, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) said in a statement posted on its website. We take the incident seriously and will make efforts to prevent a recurrence of a similar incident in the future.
Sony Music spokesman Yasuyuki Oshio said there had been no intention to link the performance to Nazism.
Here's the group first single Silent Majority:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDaKPPmDSIE