The winner of the Miss Japan beauty pageant, Ukraine-born Karolina Shiino, has decided to give up her crown following revelations of her affair with a married man, as reported by a local tabloid.
Ms. Shiino, aged 26, was crowned Miss Japan just two weeks ago, sparking a mix of reactions from the public due to her heritage.
While some embraced her win as a representation of Japan’s multicultural society, others criticized her for not embodying traditional Japanese beauty standards.
The controversy intensified when a magazine published an expose alleging that Ms. Shiino had been involved in a romantic relationship with a married influencer and doctor.
Despite the man remaining silent on the matter, the report led to further scrutiny of Ms. Shiino’s conduct.
Initially, the pageant organizers defended Ms. Shiino, stating that she was unaware of the man’s marital status. However, subsequent developments revealed that she had indeed been aware of his marriage and family.
In response to her confession, the Miss Japan Association announced on Monday that they had accepted Ms. Shiino’s resignation from her title.
In her statement, Ms. Shiino apologized to her fans and the public, acknowledging that fear and panic had influenced her actions following the tabloid report.
“I am truly sorry for the huge trouble I have caused and for betraying those who supported me,” she said.
The Miss Japan title will now remain vacant for the rest of the year, although there were several runner-ups.
The competition had crowned Ms Shiino on 22 January – the first person of European descent to be given the honour. She was born in Ukraine before moving with her mother to Japan when she was five and taking on her step-father’s Japanese last name.
She speaks and writes fluent Japanese and became a naturalised citizen in 2022.
Upon receiving the title, she had said in her speech: “I had not been accepted as Japanese many times, but I am filled with gratitude to have been recognized as Japanese today.”