The parent company of casual clothing retailer Uniqlo said on Thursday it would temporarily suspend Uniqlo’s business in Russia, reversing its chief executive’s comments last week that it intended to keep stores open there.
A spokesperson for Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing Company said the company will close 50 Uniqlo stores in Russia over 10 days from next week.
Fast Retailing cited operational challenges and “worsening of the conflict situation” for its decision. It did not give details. The company said it wished peace to return and said it was supplying clothing to those fleeing Ukraine.
The international protests welcomed a statement made last week by Tadashi Yanai, head of Fast Retailing, to Japan’s Nikkei newspaper. He said he wanted to continue business as usual in Russia because “clothing is a necessity of life” and “the Russian people have the right to live like us.”
This story has been published without modification to the text from a wire agency feed
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