Born in Ukraine, Karolina Shino arrived in Japan at the age of 5. Since then, going natural, she was selected as Miss Japan 2024. A choice not to everyone's liking.

Ukrainian-born model Karolina Shino, 26, was crowned Miss Japan on Monday, January 22, becoming the first Japanese national to win the pageant.

On social networks, her election caused controversy, with some criticizing her for not being from Japan. “This person chosen as Miss Japan is not half Japanese, but 100% pure Ukrainian. Sure, she's pretty, but she's Miss Japan,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).

“I think Japanese people get the wrong message when a European-looking person is called a very beautiful Japanese girl,” another internet user was quoted as saying by British media.

Speaking to the BBC, tournament organizer Ai Wada assured the judges that they had chosen Carolina Shino “with full confidence”. This is not the first time that a contest winner has asked questions in the country. In 2015, Ariana Miyamoto became the first mixed race Miss Japan A victim of racism After his election.

“He speaks and writes elegant and perfect Japanese,” Ai Wada said. “She's more Japanese than us.”

Born in Ukraine, the young woman arrived in the Land of the Rising Sun at the age of 5. BBC. Karolina Shino received Japanese citizenship last year, promising on Instagram that while she doesn't “look Japanese,” her spirit is “Japanese.”

“I faced obstacles that prevented me from being accepted as a Japanese person, so I am very grateful to be recognized as a Japanese person in this pageant,” she declared after being crowned on Monday.