Japanese clothing giant Uniqlo came under fire for buying supplies from Chinese factories accused of putting workers at risk in unsafe conditions.

Hong Kong-based human rights group Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour accuse the clothing firm of buying from two suppliers in Guangdong that make employees work long hours for low pay in unsafe conditions.

Uniqlo's parent company Fast Retailing says in a statement that it has opened an investigation into the allegations.

It has also acknowledged that the group's inspections found "several problems."

The Hong Kong group has in the past carried out investigations into working conditions for employees of Taiwan-based technology giant Foxconn, London Olympics suppliers, and factories that sell to Disney.