Sony Music Apologizes for Keyakizaka46's Nazi-Like Costumes

Nov 02, 2016 08:50 PM EDT

(Photo : YouTube Screenshot) Sony Music has issued an apology statement on Tuesday after its Japanese girl band Keyakizaka46 sparked outrage by appearing in a Nazi-themed Halloween costumes at a concert in Yokohama on Oct. 22.

Sony Music has issued an apology statement on Tuesday after its Japanese girl band Keyakizaka46 sparked outrage by appearing in a Nazi-themed Halloween costumes at a concert in Yokohama on Oct. 22.

"We express our heartfelt apology for causing offence," 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."

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During their performance, the girls were seen donning black knee-length dresses that look like military overcoats, and black capes, officer caps, and eagle emblem that resemble those of Schutzstaffel (SS) officers.

Sony also said that their "lack of understanding" of the incident prompted the human rights group Simon Wiesenthal Centre to demand an apology, the CBS News reported.

"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," Rabi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Wiesenthal Center that is focused on anti-Semitism and hate speech, said in a statement.

(Photo : YouTube Screenshot) Japanese idol Keyakizaka46 wearing on what appears to be a Nazi-like costume.

Social media users, on the other hand, were quick to notice their costumes similarities to that of the SS uniforms, which were a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler, according to the BBC News.

One Twitter user, as quoted by The Guardian, wrote: "Just because you didn't know or because you don't praise Nazis doesn't mean you can do this kind of thing. It's unforgivable considering how influential they are as talents." While another user suggested the girls should read the Diary of Anne Frank.

Meanwhile, Yasushi Akimoto, the band's producer, also apologized on the band's website for his "lack of oversight." He said that he was not informed of the choice of costume prior to the performance and believe it was not intended by the designers as well.

He also added that staff and the production team will be better educated to avoid such mistake again and outfits will always be checked before any shows.

Keyakizaka46 is a spinoff of the sensational band AKB48. It was formed in 2005 and hit the top spot in the Oricon daily single CD and Billboard Japan top singles chart with its debut single Silent Majority earlier this year.

Watch the performance below:

TagsSony Music, Keyakizaka46, Keyakizaka46 Nazi, Keyakizaka46 Silent Majority, Keyakizaka46 scandal