TOKYO, May 19 (AFP) - Santa Claus, Karl Marx and Rasputin need not apply for municipal service jobs in the Japanese town of Isesaki -- its local government on Wednesday banned its male employees from growing beards.

"We have decided to ban our workers from growing a beard as we have received complaints saying they are unpleasant," Osamu Kigure, an official of the city in Gunma prefecture north of Tokyo, told AFP.

The civic facial hair ban is believed to the first of its kind in Japan.

It was announced as part of annual 'Cool Biz' casual office dress rules, which allow male staff to work without jackets and ties in summer in order to cut down on air-conditioning and reduce global warming.

"Although people tend to accept beards these days, officials should look like the public servants they are. That's our idea," the official said, adding that the prohibition covers all kinds of whiskers and facial stubble.