I’ve had to face barriers that often prevent me from being accepted as Japanese, so I am filled with gratitude to be recognized at this competition as a Japanese person.

If any story today needs a photo, its this one!

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Both her parents are Ukrainians and she immigrated to Japan. The Japanese won’t consider her Japanese because they go by blood and not your residency.

The fallacy of blood in Japan?

It’s moronic

You can become Japanese by naturalization which she did.

Seems the Miss Japan group wanted to make a statement. that's OK but rather meaningless, as in, can anyone here tell the name of Miss Japan 2023, or 20, or 95?

Great for Carolina.

There are a number of Japanese in an uproar over this and who say Japan won't accept it, but the funny part about that is that she has accepted it just fine, as has he family and supporters, and obviously the judges -- all Japanese, including Caroline herself.

What I find funny is that if she played naturalized and played a sport such as baseball (Nootbar), basketball (Hawkinson) rugby, (Rich Michael and a score of others), soccer (Rui Ramos and a score of others), then everyone would consider her "Japanese." I consider her more Japanese than Naomi Osaka. I'm pretty sure this young lady could actually read a newspaper and conduct and interview without an interpreter.

 I consider her more Japanese than Naomi Osaka.

Comment of the year.

Good for her. Being accepted by the people around you means a lot but that extra even 1% of acceptance means a lot too

collegepark30349Today 10:03 am JST

What I find funny is that if she played naturalized and played a sport such as baseball (Nootbar), basketball (Hawkinson) rugby, (Rich Michael and a score of others), soccer (Rui Ramos and a score of others), then everyone would consider her "Japanese." I consider her more Japanese than Naomi Osaka. I'm pretty sure this young lady could actually read a newspaper and conduct and interview without an interpreter.

Are you sure all of the people you listed can read a newspaper and do an interview without an interpreter? Hate notwithstanding, Naomi Osaka is more successful and has Japanese blood, like it or not.

TBH the competition was a bit plain.

You can become Japanese by naturalization which she did.

Which the story, short as it is, clearly explained.

She speaks fluent Japanese. She is a Japanese citizen. She is Japanese. The oyaji faction can shut it.

Anything to try to generate interest in an out of date competition. We have had some mixed race winners and a trans winner.

Now a Ukrainian to be PC on the war.

I'm sure she is a wonderful person but personally she would be a 7 out of 10.

I consider her more Japanese than Naomi Osaka.

Comment of the year.

I'll second that.

She speaks fluent Japanese. She is a Japanese citizen. She is Japanese. The oyaji faction can shut it.

Damn straight.

Agree. If she by any chance came in say the top 3 in the next level of the Miss International / Universe many Japanese would claim her as their own, if she doesnt then she is a foreigner.

Exactly!!

Awesome.

Sends the wrong message, sorry.

Cue the thousands of non-Japanese citizen Far East Asians who complain that not being considered Japanese for having an Far East Asian face shape is "racist"

For some, many even, the acceptance either nationality, culturally, into society is paramount to everything hold dear.

Sorry I would just rather be seen as who I am, take or leave it. what you see is what you get.

I’ve had to face barriers that often prevent me from being accepted as Japanese,

Maybe because you only became Japanese last year!

I noticed they added her mother married a Japanese man. First time I've heard that part. You would have thought she would have got citizenship quicker if her stepfather was Japanese!

WOW when the Black and Japanese women won Ms. Japan some said she didn't look Japanese and was not the face of a Japanese even though one of her parents were japanese but when a Ukrainian naturalized women wins the audience becomes crickets!!!