"Pola" apologized for a poster in its shop that declined Chinese customers

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

「ポーラ」の店舗が中国人お断りの貼り紙で謝罪

11月25日 23時34分

化粧品メーカーの「ポーラ」の 店舗が「中国の方出入り禁止」と書かれた貼り紙をしていたことがわかり、会社側は不適切だとして撤去させたうえでホームページに謝罪のコメントを掲載しました。

ポーラによりますと、貼り紙をしていたのは会社から委託を受けてポーラの化粧品を専門に販売している店舗で、ドアの部分に「中国の方出入り禁止」と書かれた紙を貼っていたということです。

２４日に中国のＳＮＳ＝ソーシャル・ネットワーキング・サービスで店舗の画像が公開されたことを受けて、会社側は不適切な貼り紙だとして撤去させたということです。

ポーラは「多くの皆様にご不快な思いとご迷惑をおかけし、誠に申し訳なく遺憾に思っております」とする謝罪のコメントをホームページ上に掲載しました。

ポーラは貼り紙をしていた店舗の場所や詳しいいきさつについて明らかにしていませんが、事実確認ができしだい、店舗を営業停止にするとともに厳正な処分を行うとしています。

My translation

It was found out that a shop of "Pola", a cosmetics manufacturer, had posted a notice that had written that "No entry for the Chinese people"; the company assumed that it was improper and after removing it, a statement of apology was posted in the home page of Pola.

According to Pola, it was its authorized company that had posted up the bill on part of a door of a store that mainly sold the cosmetics of Pola;  the bill that was posted up had "No entry for the Chinese people" written on it.

It was said that the company after noting that a picture of this store was carried by the Chinese SNS= social networking service on the 24th, the company believed that it was an improper poster and ordered it to be removed.

Pola carried a statement of apology in its home page which stated that "it was truly regretted and was sorry for causing trouble to many of you with the unpleasant idea".

Pola had not made clear about the location of the store that posted up the bill, but as soon as the facts were confirmed, it closed the shop and took severe disciplinary action.

        I am interested to know the reasons behind the shop in declining the Chinese customers. Shops are open for business and it is common sense that all customers would be welcome.