Racial diversity takes center stage in Japan
30th March 2015 · 0 Comments
The daughter of an African-American father and Japanese mother was crowned Miss Universe Japan on March 12.
Ariana Miyamoto, 21, became Japan’s first ‘woman of color’ who will represent her country during the Miss Universe Pageant in January of next year which will be held in Hungary.
She qualified for the pageantry having won the title of Miss Nagasaki.
MIYAMOTO
According to Japan’s Rocket News 24, Miyamoto “faced her fair share of race-related challenges and although some people are against her acting as a representative for Japan due to her mixed heritage, she is also receiving a lot of support.”
Miyamoto studied in the United States after completing high school in Japan and is a model.
In her country labels her a “hafu” which translated means she is biracial.
She is a master of Japanese calligraphy and lists her hobbies as cooking and touring.
“The world competition is going to be tough, but I’ll believe in myself and continue doing my best,” she told the Rocket News 24.
This article originally published in the March 30, 2015 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
