A major Japanese cosmetics company faces its first class action in the wake of a scandal involving skin-whitening products.

Kanebo Cosmetics came under fire last year for delaying the recall of products that left nearly 10,000 people with a loss of skin pigmentation.

A group of 14 plaintiffs between their thirties and seventies are demanding about 48,000 dollars in damages each, for a total of nearly 675,000 dollars.