Miss Japan Steps Down Over Affair

Karolina Shiino, the winner of the Miss Japan beauty pageant, has relinquished her crown following revelations of her involvement in an affair with a married man. The 26-year-old, originally from Ukraine, had been crowned Miss Japan just two weeks prior, sparking a public debate due to her foreign heritage.

While some welcomed Shiino's naturalized citizenship and crowning, others argued that she did not embody traditional Japanese beauty ideals.

Amidst the controversy, a local magazine, Shukan Bunshun, published an exposé detailing Shiino's alleged affair with a married influencer and doctor.

The man involved has not issued any public statements.

Initially, the pageant organizers defended Shiino, asserting that she was unaware of the man's marital status. However, in response to the report, the organizers later revealed that Shiino had confessed to knowing about the man's marriage and family.

Consequently, she apologized for being misleading, leading the Miss Japan Association to accept her resignation.

In a statement on Monday, Shiino expressed her remorse to her fans and the general public, admitting that her actions were driven by fear and panic in response to the report.

She said, "I am truly sorry for the huge trouble I have caused and for betraying those who supported me."

The Miss Japan title will remain vacant for the rest of the year, despite having several runners-up. Shiino, born in Ukraine and raised in Japan since the age of five, became the first person of European descent to receive the honor on January 22.

She holds fluent proficiency in Japanese, having become a naturalized citizen in 2022.

In her acceptance speech, she had conveyed gratitude for being recognized as Japanese after facing rejection on multiple occasions in the past.