The Ukrainian-born Miss Japan winner has given up her crown two weeks after controversially winning the title following revelations she had an affair with a married doctor.
Karolina Shiino, 26, won the title two weeks ago, but her background sparked debate.
She was born in 1998 and moved to Japan at the age of five, where she grew up in Nagoya after her Ukrainian mother remarried to a Japanese man.
Her victory meant she became the first naturalized Japanese citizen to take home the title of Miss Japan, a fact that divided commentators in the country.
An article in local magazine Shukan Bunshun reported that Ms Shiino had an affair with a married doctor and influencer, although he has not made any public comment.
Carolina Shiino, 26, won the competition's top prize in Tokyo and then told reporters in impeccable Japanese: “It was like a dream.” Ms. Shiino was born in Ukraine in 1998 and moved to Japan at the age of five, where she lived in Nagoya grew up after her Ukrainian mother remarried a Japanese man
An article in a local magazine reported that Ms. Shiino had an affair with a married doctor and influencer, although he has not made any public comment. In an initial response to the report last week, pageant organizers said Ms Shiino did not know he was married
On Monday, organizers admitted that she had confessed to having knowledge of the man's marriage and family. Ms. Shiino apologized for misleading her and organizers accepted that she had given up the title, the Miss Japan Association said. Ms. Shiino apologized to fans and the public in a statement on Monday
In an initial response to the report last week, pageant organizers said Ms Shiino did not know he was married.
But on Monday they admitted that she had confessed to having knowledge of the man's marriage and family.
Ms. Shiino apologized for misleading her and organizers accepted that she had given up the title, the Miss Japan Association said.
Ms. Shiino apologized to fans and the public in a statement on Monday, pointing out that her reaction was due to fear and panic over the report.
She said: “I am truly sorry for the great trouble I have caused and for betraying those who supported me.”
The title of “Miss Japan” will not be awarded for the rest of the year.
Ms. Shiino apologized for misleading her and organizers accepted that she had given up the title, the Miss Japan Association said
Pictured: The moment Ms. Shiino was announced as the winner of the Miss Japan pageant
Some people viewed Ms. Shiino's victory as a “sign of the times,” while others said she didn't look like a typical “Miss Japan.”
Her victory at the 56th edition of the prize sparked a fierce debate in Japan about what it means to be Japanese, since she was born in Ukraine.
Some called her win a “sign of the times,” while others said she didn't look like a typical Miss Japan.
Her win came after a similar debate was sparked in 2015 when Ariana Miyamoto became the first woman of mixed race to be crowned Miss Japan.
With a Japanese mother and an African-American father, Miyamoto's victory also sparked debate over whether a person of mixed race should be eligible to compete.
After Ms. Shiino's win, one person wrote on social media on X, formerly Twitter, that the contest “discriminates against Japanese faces.”
Another said in a post: “This person who was chosen as Miss Japan is not even a mix of Japanese, but 100% pure Ukrainian.” Understand that she is beautiful, but this is Miss Japan. Where is Japaneseness?' according to BBC.
Ms Shiino was born to Ukrainian parents but moved to Japan in the early 2000s when she was just five years old after her mother remarried a Japanese man
After her win, she said she found it difficult to be accepted as Japanese.
Regarding her motivation to take part in the competition, she said: “I have lived in Japan since I was five years old and realized that I speak Japanese and live as a Japanese woman.”
After Ms. Shiino was announced as the winner of the competition, she told reporters she had had difficulty “being accepted as Japanese.”
“When they called my name, I couldn’t stop crying,” she said in Japanese.
“I have often had to face obstacles that prevented me from being accepted as Japanese, so I am full of gratitude to be recognized as Japanese in this competition.”
She added: “My goal was to create a society where people are not judged by their looks, which led me to enter the competition.”
Regarding her motivation to take part in the competition, she said: “I have lived in Japan since I was five years old and realized that I speak Japanese and live as a Japanese woman.”
“But it was the first time I noticed that my appearance was different based on the comments of those around me.”
At 172 cm (5 feet 6 inches) tall, Ms. Shiino was one of the taller contestants and also the oldest at 26 years old
Ms Shiino's victory came after a similar debate was sparked in 2015 when Ariana Miyamoto (pictured) became the first mixed-race woman to be crowned Miss Japan
Because she has a Japanese mother and an African-American father, Ms. Miyamoto's victory also sparked debate about whether a person of mixed race should be eligible to compete
When her name was announced, she immediately acknowledged her mother, who brought her to Japan two decades ago.
When asked who she would like to share her joy with, she said: “My family, especially my mother.” I would like to tell her first: “Mom, I won the Grand Prix!”
At 172 cm (5 feet 6 inches) tall, Ms. Shiino was one of the taller contestants and also the oldest at 26 years old.
Their motto is: “A high mountain is not noble because of its height.”
Ai Wada, the organizer of the Miss Japan Grand Prix pageant, said the event “gave us the opportunity to rethink what Japanese beauty is.”
Short-haired 20-year-old Eve Gilles found herself at the center of a controversy over her pixie hair following her Miss France win in December
“After today's result, I am convinced of one thing: Japanese beauty does not exist in looks, not in blood, but it firmly exists in our hearts.”
The excitement over Ms Shiino's win also came after a similar dispute over the winner of Miss France broke out late last year.
Short-haired 20-year-old Eve Gilles found herself at the center of a controversy over her pixie hair following her win in December.
Critics said the kind of long hair favored by previous winners – and Gallic female icons such as Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve – would have been far more appropriate than a short pixie bob worn by Ms Gilles.
But Eve hit back, saying: “We're used to seeing beautiful ladies with long hair, but I went for an androgynous look with short hair.” She said it was a win for woke “diversity” and that “No one should dictate who you are.”
As the debate over acceptable female appearance raged, Eve said she was used to being “body-shamed” and was even banned from the Miss France pageant because she was too short.