This year’s Miss Japan is Karolina Shiino, a 26-year-old model with roots in Ukraine. Her victory sparked a public debate about what it means to be Japanese.
Karolina Shyino, born in Ternopil, Ukraine, moved to Japan at age five and grew up in Nagoya. She became the first naturalized citizen of Japan to win the contest. She will now represent Japan at the upcoming Miss Universe pageant.
There are different views on her victory: some consider it a “mark of the times,” while others argue that she does not fit the image of Miss Japan. It is important to note that Carolina Shiino does not have Japanese roots.
Social media discusses that her victory sends “wrong messages” to the Japanese, as the most beautiful woman is considered a European. Some see this as a political decision, arguing that a Russian woman could not have won for political reasons.
The organizers of the Miss Japan pageant believe that this event provided an opportunity to redefine “Japanese beauty,” pointing out that it exists deep in the heart, not just in appearance or blood.
Caroline Shiino became a Japanese citizen in 2022 and noted on Instagram that although she does not appear as a Japanese woman, her mind “becomes Japanese” because she grew up in Japan.
She applied for the pageant to contribute to a society where people are not judged by their appearance and to inspire those who feel different or marginalized.
Carolina Shiino became the 56th winner of Miss Japan, the oldest beauty pageant in the country. The most famous is Miss Universe Japan, which gained attention in 2015 with the victory of Ariana Miyamoto, the first winner with mixed roots. Her victory was both supported and criticized for “discriminating against Japanese faces” and for not looking “Japanese enough.”
