Ukraine-born Miss Japan 2024 relinquishes title following report of affair
February 5, 2024
Karolina Shiino, a Ukraine-born model with Japanese citizenship, has relinquished her title as the 2024 Miss Japan Grand Prix winner after a magazine report revealed her affair with a married influencer.
Exposed: On Wednesday, Shukan Bunshun reported that Shiino, 26, was in a relationship with a married doctor. However, the Miss Japan organizer rejected the claim on Thursday, asserting that the doctor had represented himself as single, and Shiino was unaware of his marital status. But on Monday, the association admitted that Shiino had known about the doctor’s marriage and apologized for initially denying it.
Stepping down from the crown: Consequently, Shiino offered to step down as Miss Japan. Despite contest organizers initially supporting her, she decided to give up her title following the revelation. She apologized for causing trouble and betraying her supporters.
The association has also since apologized and declared that the competition’s top honor will remain vacant for the year.
About Shiino: Shiino was the first person of European descent and the first naturalized Japanese citizen to win the Miss Japan Grand Prix title. However, she is also the first winner to have relinquished their title.
Shiino was born in Ukraine and moved to Japan at the age of 5 after her mother remarried a Japanese man. Her previous victory sparked skepticism on social media, with many questioning the choice of crowning someone who is not of Japanese descent. This led to a debate on Japanese identity and eligibility criteria for Miss Japan.
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