(CNN) – The face of the Japanese beauty is now a model of Ukrainian origin, at least according to beauty pageant judges who sparked a debate about cultural identity on Monday by naming 26-year-old Karolina Shiino Miss Japan.
The annual Miss Nippon pageant, whose title is derived from the country's Japanese name, awards the tiara to the contestant who represents the “most outstanding beauty of all Japanese women,” according to the organizers' website. The decision to choose a winner of European descent has raised questions about beauty standards and what it means to be Japanese.
“I wanted to be recognized as Japanese,” Shiino, a naturalized citizen who has lived in Nagoya since she was five and speaks Japanese fluently, told CNN in Tokyo.
Shiino said she had struggled to be accepted as a local because of her appearance and hoped her victory would change ideas about who could be considered Japanese.
“Ultimately, we live in a time of diversity where diversity is necessary,” he said. “There are a lot of people like me who worry about the difference between how they look and (who they are).” She added: “They always told me that I'm not Japanese, but I'm totally Japanese , so I ran for Miss Japan and really believed in myself. I was very pleased to be recognized in this way.”
Miss Nippon candidates at the finals of the beauty pageant in Tokyo.
(Image credit: Miss Nippon)
Japan is an ethnically homogeneous country with comparatively low immigration rates, which has led authorities in recent years to encourage the arrival of more foreign residents and workers to fill gaps left by an aging population. The country has struggled to balance its conservative views on immigration with the need for new, younger workers, although a 2018 Pew survey showed that 59% of Japanese believed immigrants would strengthen the country.
“Karolina is Japanese, so there’s nothing wrong with (her win),” one person wrote commentator on X, formerly known as Twitter, and compared her to several foreign-born athletes who have represented Japan in international sports competitions. “They are Japanese, and so is Karolina.”
Others praised his love for the country. “Many Japanese people don’t appreciate Japan. Why does she value Japan, where she has lived since childhood, so much that she became a Japanese citizen and accepted the challenge of becoming Miss Nippon? crowned Miss Nippon?” one asked
However, others questioned whether someone without Japanese ancestry could represent the country's beauty ideals.
“Racial discrimination is absolutely unacceptable,” historian Hiroe Yamashita wrote in Karolina Shiino, “An (ethnically) Japanese girl has no chance of victory according to modern beauty values.”
Shiino's victory comes nearly 10 years after Ariana Miyamoto became the first biracial contestant to be crowned Miss Universe Japan, one of several nationwide pageant titles. Miyamoto represented Japan at the Miss Universe 2015 pageant.
Miss Nippon does not participate in international beauty pageants and is not affiliated with global beauty pageants such as Miss World and Miss Universe.
The first Miss Nippon pageant was held in 1950 and was sponsored by one of Japan's largest newspapers, the Yomiuri Shimbun. It was originally created to select a goodwill ambassador to the United States to express Japan's gratitude for U.S. humanitarian assistance after World War II.
The winner of the inaugural competition was Fujiko Yamamoto, who became a successful actress. According to the Miss Nippon pageant's official website, her “dignified elegance” became the new standard of beauty for Japanese women for years to come.
After a 15-year hiatus, the competition was revived in 1967 by Shizuo Wada, who became a well-known television health and beauty exercise trainer.
The competition is currently run by her granddaughter Ai Wada, who told CNN that Shiino was awarded the Miss Nippon title because she is a “hard-working but humble Japanese woman with a great sense of consideration” towards others.
CNN's Francesca Annio, Hanako Montgomery and Mayumi Maruyama contributed to this report.