News On Japan

Ukrainian-Born Carolina Shiino Takes Miss Japan Crown

TOKYO, Jan 23 (News On Japan) - The final judging of the "56th Miss Japan Contest 2024" was held on January 22nd in Tokyo, where Karolina Shiino, a 26-year-old model from Aichi Prefecture, emerged victorious as the Grand Prix winner.

When asked in a post-judging interview about the first person she wanted to share her joy with, she responded, “My family, especially my mother. I want to tell her first, ‘Mom, I won the Grand Prix,’” she said with a smile, acknowledging her mother as the person who brought her to Japan and made her Japanese.

Shiino, standing tall at 172 cm, was born in Ukraine and came to Japan at the age of five. Last year, she reported her naturalization on social media. Her hobbies include walking, yoga, and mountain climbing, with model walking and posing as her special skills. Her motto is "A high mountain is not noble because of its height." Her aspiration is to become a refined woman who cherishes the Japanese spirit.

Regarding her motivation to enter the contest, Shiino mentioned, "I have lived in Japan since I was five and realized I was speaking Japanese and living as a Japanese. But it was the first time I noticed my appearance was different due to comments from those around me." She grew up with these concerns and initially wanted to be recognized as Japanese. "Through study meetings, I started thinking about what I could do, and eventually, my goal became to create a society where people are not judged by their appearance, leading me to enter the contest."

In her speech after winning the Grand Prix, Shiino tearfully expressed her joy: "It's like a dream. Tears wouldn't stop when my name was called. Although I live as a Japanese, I've faced many challenges due to racial barriers. I'm filled with gratitude for being recognized as Japanese in this contest."

Source: Kyodo

missnippon.jp
News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Organic fluorine compounds known as PFAS—suspected to be harmful to human health—have been detected at concentrations exceeding the national provisional target in rivers and groundwater at 242 sites across 22 prefectures, according to a government survey.

The Japanese government will begin issuing blue tickets for bicycle traffic violations in April 2026, with fines including 5,000 yen for ignoring stop signs and up to 12,000 yen for riding while using a smartphone.

A 26-year-old woman was arrested in the early hours of April 24th in Kasuya Town, Fukuoka Prefecture, on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. While admitting to the offense, she claimed, "I ate chocolate that contained alcohol."

A man found wandering naked in Saitama Prefecture has been arrested after a string of violent incidents, including a fatal hit-and-run and an attempted abduction, unfolded within roughly 90 minutes on April 21st.

The total number of visitors to Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai surpassed one million on April 23rd, just 11 days after the event began. Despite being a weekday, the venue remained crowded, with long lines forming at popular pavilions such as the one from the United States.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Society NEWS

Nearly three months after a road collapse in Yashio City, Saitama Prefecture, authorities are preparing to resume the search for the missing truck driver as early as next week.

A woman’s body discovered in a freezer at a residence in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, is now believed to have been concealed there for approximately four and a half years, police announced.

A man who was charged with committing an act of abuse against his young daughter and distributing a video of the incident through a private social media group admitted to the allegations during his first court appearance.

A monkey walking upright on two legs was spotted in a residential area of Tokyo on April 23rd, drawing attention as it crossed a street in the rain before entering a nearby field and munching on crops.

A man found wandering naked in Saitama Prefecture has been arrested after a string of violent incidents, including a fatal hit-and-run and an attempted abduction, unfolded within roughly 90 minutes on April 21st.

Police in Okinawa, southwestern Japan, say they have referred two US Marines to prosecutors on suspicion of committing separate sexual assaults against women. (NHK)

A 23-year-old woman has been arrested and indicted in Osaka for allegedly cutting off her boyfriend’s ring finger with an axe.

A model of a dog, believed to have lived alongside Queen Himiko, has been unveiled in Nara after being reconstructed from bones excavated at the Makimuku ruins, one of the leading candidate sites for the ancient Yamatai kingdom.