Japan retail chain to withdraw Nazi costume from sale
- Published
The costume is on sale at two outlets in Tokyo
A Japanese discount chain has said it will remove a Nazi costume from its shelves after receiving a complaint from a Jewish group in the US.
The costume is on sale at Don Quijote Co for about 5,000 yen (£38; $60) in at least two stores in Tokyo.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles sent a letter on Monday, requesting the costume be withdrawn from sale immediately.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews and others during World War II.
The centre added the swastika featured on the costume remained a "symbol of hatred".
"We want to fully respond to this letter from the centre and are currently working within the company to do so," a company spokeswoman in Tokyo told the Associated Press news agency.
Aico, the Japanese party goods maker who has made the costume for seven years, says it has never had a complaint.
"This was meant purely as a joke, as something that would easily be recognisable. If we have complaints, we will certainly stop sales," a company spokesman said.