Biracial Miss Universe Japan brings racial issues to spotlight 03:54. Walking through the Shibuya section of Tokyo, Ariana Miyamoto certainly turns heads -- and she wants to use that attention to ...

Ariana Miyamoto (C) from Miyazaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan, makes a speech in Tokyo on March 12 after being chosen to represent the country at this year's Miss Universe contest.

Ariana Miyamoto should be on top of the world right now. After all, the 20-year-old was just selected to represent Japan in the 2015 Miss Universe pageant.

Crowning a Japanese and African American Miss Universe is a big deal for the queen’s country. Like every part of the world, Japan has a set list of beauty standards.

Miss Universe Japan Ariana Miyamoto poses during an exclusive interview with AFP in Tokyo on May 7, 2015. TORU YAMANAKA/AFP/Getty Images. Tokyo -- Japan is thought of as a racially homogeneous nation.

Japan's first biracial Miss Universe contestant tries to change attitudes. Hotspots ranked Start the day smarter ☀️ Funniest cap messages Get the USA TODAY app U.S. Politics Sports ...

"The face of Miss Universe Japan is obviously [that of] a foreigner!" griped another. "I wasn't surprised by it," Miyamoto says to Newsweek of her reaction. "I was expecting it, actually." ...

Miss Universe R'Bonney Gabriel Is Unbothered by Haters and Focused on a Passion for Sustainable Style Shiino became a naturalized Japanese citizen in 2022, according to the BBC and The Guardian .

The newly crowned Miss Universe Japan — who was born and raised in Nagasaki and speaks fluent Japanese — isn’t Japanese enough, some critics say. Ariana Miyamoto has had to defend… ...

<p>Miss Universe Japan 2009 Emiri Miyasaka (C) celebrates after winning the Miss Universe Japan finals in Tokyo May 11, 2009. REUTERS/Toru Hanai</p> ...

Japan's Riyo Mori was crowned Miss Universe in Mexico City Monday night, but the evening's most memorable moment came courtesy of Miss USA, Rachel Smith. Smith, ...

Miss Japan crowned Miss Universe. MEXICO CITY, May 29 (UPI) -- Miss Japan, Riyo Mori, a dancer, was crowned Miss Universe 2007 during the international competition in Mexico City.