Ukrainian-Born Miss Japan Faces Down Critics

Karolina Shiino, a naturalized citizen of Japan who was born in Ukraine, has ignited arguments since winning the Miss Japan 2024 title on January 22. Shiino, who has lived in Nagoya since she was 5 and speaks fluent Japanese, says she set out to challenge widely accepted views of who is considered Japanese. Beauty contests should not be about appearance, Shiino argues, but "heart."