The idol group Keyakizaka46, a branch of Japan’s top-selling girl band AKB48, performed on October 22 at Yokohama arena in Japan wearing military-style black capes with wide collars and black hats bearing an eagle symbol.
Their choice of costume kicked up a storm on social media, with their outfits being compared to the uniforms worn by Nazi soldiers in WW2. Twitter users have been angrily posting pictures of the girls in their outfits alongside images of SS soldiers.
欅坂46 ナチス軍服を着てライブ → 批判殺到 pic.twitter.com/TltRiTPalX
— トマト大好き (@tmato30kcal) 24 октября 2016 г.
User @batayanF3 wrote: "Just because you didn’t know or because you don’t praise Nazis doesn’t mean you can do these kinds of things. It’s unforgivable considering how influential they are as talents."
However, some people see in such outfits not a social statement but a public stunt, and say it was just ‘shock marketing’ for the rising stars.
PERFECT HALLOWEEN 2016#欅坂46 #菅井友香 #長濱ねる #志田愛佳 #齋藤冬優花 #渡邉理佐 pic.twitter.com/bvLGpRf5E2
— 名古屋市立大学欅坂46同好会 (@ncu_keyaki46) 23 октября 2016 г.
