Ukrainian Model Wins Miss Japan Pageant, Sparks Debate

A Ukrainian-born model has sparked controversy after winning the Miss Japan pageant on Monday (January 29), CNN reports.

Karolina Shiino, 26, a naturalized citizen who has lived in Nagoya since she was 5 years old and speaks fluent Japanese, won the competition, being credited as the contestant representing the "Foremost Beauty of All Japanese Women."

“I wanted to be recognized as a Japanese person,” Shiino told CNN Tokyo.

The 26-year-old said she's experienced difficulties being accepted as a local due to her appearance and intended to change that perception by winning the competition.

“After all, we live in an era of diversity — where diversity is needed,” Shiino said. “There are many people like me who are worried about the gap between their appearance and (who they are).”

“I kept being told that I’m not Japanese, but I am absolutely Japanese, so I entered Miss Japan genuinely believing in myself. I was really happy to be recognized like this," she added.

Shiino's victory was both praised and criticized, with some claiming that the victory symbolized her love for the country while others argued that the competition should be based on standards of historic Japanese beauty.

Japan has significantly low levels of immigration and has struggled to meet the needs of new and younger workers while dealing with an aging population. A Pew survey conducted through 2018 showed that 59% of the population believed that immigrants would make the country stronger, despite Japan's historically conservative views on the policy.