Ukrainian-born beauty queen Karolina Shiino has relinquished her crown after being named Miss Japan two weeks ago amid allegations of an affair with a married man.
Shiino, who stirred controversy after becoming the first person of predominantly European heritage to win the Miss Nippon contest, took to social media to announce her decision to step down on Monday while apologizing to the man's family and those involved.
"I am truly sorry for causing a lot of trouble for many people and betraying those who have supported me," Shiino, 26, wrote in a statement, noting that she was parting ways with her talent agency.
Event organizers said in a statement that Shiino had "requested to withdraw from the contest due to personal reasons," according to CNN. Kaoru Wada, chair of the Miss Nippon Association, added that the 2024 title will remain "vacant," the outlet noted.
Despite being a naturalized citizen fluent in Japanese and residing in the country since childhood, Shiino's pageant win sparked controversy, with critics questioning if a non-Japanese ethnicity aligns with the country's beauty standards.
"I wanted to be recognized as a Japanese person," Shiino told CNN in Tokyo following her win last month. "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."
The decision to pick a pageant winner with European heritage sparked debate about Japanese identity and the influence of Western beauty standards in Asia.
In an interview with CNN, Shiino discussed the challenges of her upbringing in Japan, emphasizing the need for a broader definition of Japanese identity in a country known for its ethnic homogeneity and limited immigration.
"After all, we live in an era of diversity — where diversity is needed," she said at the time.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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