A line of kids' clothes featuring slogans about lazy, uninvolved fathers have been pulled from shelves in Japan after the designs sparked an online backlash.

The items sold by the chain Birthday included a T-shirt saying "Daddy's always sleeping" and baby socks that declared "Daddy doesn't take care of me at all."

Some commentators called them an affront to hard-working fathers, while others said they highlighted the country's childcare gender gap that weighs heavily on women.