The Simon Wiesenthal Center expressed its disgust over the use of Nazi-themed uniforms donned by a girl’s music group “Keyakizaka46” at a recent performance in Japan
“We are calling on Sony Music and the group’s 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.”
“This is a time when the Simon Wiesenthal Center is struggling against increased anti-Semitic attacks and burgeoning online hate around the world. Even if there was no harm intended by the group, that performance cheapens the memory of victims of the Nazis and sends the wrong message to young people in Germany and other countries where neo-Nazi sentiment is on the rise. We expect better from an international brand like Sony which has caused embarrassment to Japan,” Rabbi Cooper added.