Ukraine-born Miss Japan gives up crown following affair | Maqvi News

TOKYO  –  The Ukraine-born winner of the Miss Japan beauty pag­eant has given up her crown after a tab­loid report revealed her affair with a married man. Karolina Shiino, 26, was crowned Miss Japan two weeks ago but her win sparked public de­bate due to her heritage. While some wel­comed the naturalised citizen’s crowning, others said she didn’t represent tradition­al Japanese beauty ideals. Amid the furore, a local magazine published an expose al­leging an affair. The article in the Shukan Bunshun reported that Ms Shiino had engaged in a relationship with a married influencer and doctor. The man has not provided any public comment. In its ini­tial response to the report last week, the pageant organisers defended Ms Shiino, saying she hadn’t known the man was married. However on Monday, organis­ers said she had confessed to knowing about the man’s marriage and family. She had apologised for being mislead­ing and organisers had accepted her title resignation, the Miss Japan Asso­ciation said. Ms Shiino also apologised to her fans and the general public in a statement on Monday, where she said she had acted out of fear and panic in response to the 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 runners-up. 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.”