It was not long ago when Priyanka Yoshikawa won the Miss World Japan 2016 crown and the right to represent her country at the upcoming Miss Earth 2016 beauty contest. The world cheered for the 22 year old beauty pageant winner, but what she received in her country was shocking. It was not praise but criticism, on her bi-racial status.
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The Japanese society has always been diverged with Okinawans, Ainus, Chinese, Koreans, and many bi-racial citizens. In spite of being a multi-ethnic country, Japan is firm about racial homogeneity. Such conservative views in the 21st century are shocking for a technically advanced country like Japan.
Priyanka, who is a half Indian, is not the first hafu to win a beauty contest title. Last year, Ariana Miyamoto won the crown for Miss Universe Japan 2015. Ariana, whose father is an African- American, and mother Japanese, received a lot of negative remarks when she won a beauty pageant last year. Evidently, Japan was not secure about a bi-racial woman representing the country at an international beauty pageant.
The 22 year old Ariana Miyamoto dedicated her triumph to one of her friends, a hafu who committed suicide after facing a lot of bullying. Ariana claimed that she had to face a lot of racial discrimination herself after her victory because of her skin tone. On the other hand, surprisingly the Miss Earth Japan 2013 Yu Horikawa, a half Australian, did not receive such a strong dislike as she was blessed with fair skin.
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Anyway, among all the negative reviews that Priyanka is facing, she is still ready to envoy for Japan at the Miss World 2016 pageant, scheduled on the 18th December in Washington, DC, USA. All the best, Priyanka!