Carolina Shiino, a Ukrainian-born model, has ignited a conversation on identity after being crowned Miss Japan in a Tokyo pageant. The 26-year-old, who moved to Japan at the age of five, tearfully accepted the crown on Monday in Shinjuku, marking the first time someone born outside Japan has won the prestigious title.

Expressing gratitude for the recognition, Shiino revealed the challenges she faced in being accepted as Japanese, citing racial barriers. “It has been challenging to be accepted as Japanese,” she stated emotionally during her acceptance speech.

While many celebrated Shiino’s historic win, some critics questioned her representation of Miss Japan due to her lack of Japanese parentage. On social media, one comment on X read, “This person who was chosen as Miss Japan is not even a mix with Japanese but 100% pure Ukrainian. Where is the Japaneseness?” Another expressed concerns about the message sent to the Japanese people, stating, “I think that Japanese people naturally (would) get the wrong message when a European-looking person is called the most beautiful Japanese.”

Despite the backlash, Ai Wada, the organiser of the Miss Japan Grand Prix pageant, defended the judges’ decision, emphasising their ‘full confidence’ in choosing Shiino as the winner. Wada praised Shiino’s command of the Japanese language, stating, “She speaks and writes in beautiful and polite Japanese. She is more Japanese than we are.”

Shiino, who received Japanese nationality last year, stood up for herself, asserting that she may not look Japanese but has “become Japanese” through her upbringing in the country.

Supporters rallied behind Shiino, emphasising her Japanese citizenship. A fan on X wrote, “There is no doubt that she is the right candidate for Miss Japan. Anyway, she is definitely Japanese since she has Japanese citizenship.”

In addition to being the first non-native to win the title, Shiino holds the distinction of being the oldest person ever to win the Miss Japan competition. Her victory follows the 2015 controversy when Ariana Miyamoto, a bi-racial woman, was named Miss Japan, sparking a debate on representation in the pageant.