Japan teen idol girl band sparks Nazi row

TOKYO: A Japanese teeny-bop girl band has triggered outrage after wearing military-style costumes which have been compared to Nazi uniforms at a Halloween concert.

Keyakizaka46 sparked an online storm with their black one-piece dresses and capes, complete with peaked caps bearing a golden bird symbol resembling the Nazi eagle above a swastika.

Social media has lit up since the troupe took to the stage in Yokohama on October 22.

In a Twitter backlash, several users slammed their choice of costume as "unforgivable" and "unacceptable" while Berlin-based Japanese writer Ichika Rokuso posted: "Seventy-one years have passed since the war ended but there are many people who lost loved ones. Please remember that."

Other angry tweeters posted pictures of Nazis next to images of band members, who posed for photos in their controversial garb before the show. "It is shock marketing," fumed one Twitter user, clearly feeling it was a publicity stunt by the band, who have yet to comment on the row.

Keyakizaka46 have shot to stardom since being formed in 2015 by producer and lyricist Yasushi Akimoto, reaching number one in Japan with their debut single "Silent Majority."