"Dad Is Always Sleeping"... Japanese Men Angry Over Children's Clothing Slogan

Sales Halted Just One Day After Controversy Erupted

A Japanese children's clothing brand released products featuring phrases such as "Dad is always sleeping," implying that men do not participate in childcare, which sparked controversy over gender discrimination. The brand subsequently halted sales and issued an apology.

On the 30th, Sankei Shimbun reported that the children's clothing brand 'Birthday' under the Shimamura Group in Japan faced backlash over a product design unveiled on the 29th.

A recent controversy has arisen over a new product released by a Japanese children's clothing brand, featuring phrases such as "Dad doesn't take care of me at all."
[Photo source=X (formerly Twitter) capture]

The brand collaborated with local artist Kagami Ken to release various products such as children's T-shirts, socks, and hairbands on its online site. However, the phrases printed on these products became problematic. The children's items bore phrases like "Dad is always sleeping," "I like mom," "Dad never takes care of me," and "Dad always comes home late."

On social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), there was an outpouring of criticism labeling the phrases as sexist. Local netizens commented, "What era is this from?" "Nowadays, dads are involved in childcare just like moms," "Not all dads are like that," "Who exactly is this product targeting?" and "I would never want my child to wear this." Particularly strong criticism focused on how these expressions reinforce fixed gender roles in the family and society.

In response, Shimamura stated, "This project was not intended to target men who are involved in childcare or to promote gender discrimination," explaining that it was "intended to depict everyday scenes and communication with children." Nevertheless, as related posts garnered over 20 million views online and criticism intensified, Shimamura ultimately announced the suspension of sales just one day after the product launch and issued an apology.

On the 30th, Shimamura posted on its official social media account, "We deeply apologize for the offensive expressions found on some of the collaborative products released this time," and added, "After reviewing consumer feedback, we have decided to discontinue sales of the products." They also stated, "We will plan products that meet customer expectations to prevent such incidents from happening again." The products have since been removed from the official online store.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.