A new Miss Japan has been forced to hand over her crown after she lied about her affair with a married man. Karolina Shino, 26, had previously been discredited because her Ukrainian roots didn't make her look Japanese at all.
Beauty pageant candidates are traditionally expected to maintain an impeccable private life. When a popular magazine published a story that Shino was having an affair with a married doctor, all alarm bells went off.
The model initially claimed she didn't know the 40-something was married. As soon as she found out, she would have ended the relationship immediately.
'A lot of fear'
However, this version turned out to be a lie. Her modeling agency received confirmation that Shino continued to see her lover all this time. Then Mademoiselle took the step to hand over her crown.
“I was very afraid to tell the truth right away. I caused a lot of trouble and betrayed my supporters, and I am deeply sorry for that.” The Miss Organization, which in turn apologized to the jury members and sponsors, announced that there will be no alternative this year.
Ukrainian parents
So, after just two weeks, the fairy tale that began with so much controversy is coming to an end. After her victory, she immediately received a storm of criticism because she “didn't look Japanese at all.”
Makes sense, because Shino has Ukrainian parents. She moved to Japan at the age of five and obtained citizenship two years ago. Her opponents asked: “How can someone with Caucasian appearance symbolize Japanese beauty?”
However, others pointed out that Shino met all the requirements to take her chance. “She is between 17 and 26 years old and holds Japanese nationality. What more could she want?”
An emotional word of thanks
Shino let her emotions flow during her acceptance speech. “I have faced many racial barriers in the past. There were many instances where I felt unaccepted. But today I was accepted as Japanese and I am very grateful for that,” she spoke in perfect Japanese.
In 2015, Ariana Miyamoto, who is half Japanese, set the tone: she has an African-American father, but was still allowed to represent her country in the Miss Universe pageant.
In 2016, Priyanka Yoshikawa, of Japanese-Indian descent, followed in her footsteps in the Miss World pageant. Chino would have become the first of entirely foreign origin to win the award.
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