Miss Japan 2024, already at the center of controversy when she won her title because she was born in Ukraine rather than the archipelago, gave up her crown after revelations of an extramarital affair.
In January, the election of Karolina Shiino sparked debate as Japanese people, particularly on the conservative right, questioned the choice of a naturalized Japanese woman to represent Japanese beauty standards.
But now a scandal broke out, this time affecting her private life, after the weekly Shukan Bunshun revealed an extramarital affair – a ban on misses who must embody perfect morality – that Karolina Shiino was having with a married doctor.
The 26-year-old young woman wanted to apologize “deeply” for this story.
“Firstly, because of the chaos and fear, I didn't want to tell the truth… I apologize to those who believed in me and supported me,” Karolina Shiino said on the social network Instagram on Tuesday.
“I consider the situation to be serious and therefore give up the title of Miss Japan,” added the person, who has lived in Japan since she was five years old.
The Miss Japan committee accepted Ms. Shiino's request to return her crown for “personal reasons,” adding that the title would remain vacant this year.
His victory earlier this year sparked debate due to his clearly visible Caucasian roots.
“It doesn't matter whether she is Jewish-Ukrainian or not, but I don't accept her personality. Why is she Miss Japan?” asked a user on X (ex Twitter), for example.
Others are speaking out in his defense today.
“They have the Japanese spirit. I don’t think having a personal life should force you to give up, but it’s Japan…” this other X user lamented in response.
Miss Japan, whose first title was awarded in 1950, honors “Japanese-style beauty,” that is, consisting of “inner beauty, physical beauty and beauty in actions,” the committee describes on its website.
In Japan, a very conservative country, entertainment or show industry figures who have affairs, take drugs or are involved in scandals are often rejected by their fans and employers.