Half-Indian Beauty Crowned Miss Japan, Stirs Race Controversy

22-year-old Priyanka Yoshikawa was often bullied due to her skin color, in Japan.

Priyanka Yoshikawa. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@DixitSudhir12)

A part-Indian beauty was crowned Miss Japan, on Monday. This is the second year in a row, that a biracial person won the Miss Universe Japan beauty pageant, Times of India reported.

22-year-old Priyanka Yoshikawa’s win continued the trend of controversy that Japanese-African Ariana Minamoto kicked off since her win in Miss Universe Japan 2015.

Seemingly unhappy Twitter users from Japan complained of a “haafu” (Japanese word for half, used to describe people of mixed race) winning the pageant over those of a “pure” Japanese descent.

What’s the point of holding a pageant like this now? Zero national characteristics.

Japanese Twitter User

Yoshikawa, who is a licensed elephant trainer was born to an Indian father and a Japanese mother, was often bullied like Minamoto due to her skin color, in Japan.

Times of India quoted Yoshikawa as saying:

Before Ariana, haafu girls couldn’t represent Japan…Ariana encouraged me a lot by showing me and showing all mixed girls the way...I know a lot of people who are haafu and suffer. We are Japanese. Yes, I’m half Indian and people are asking me about my ‘purity’ - yes, my dad is Indian and I’m proud of it, I’m proud that I have Indian in me. But that does not mean I’m not Japanese.

Yoshikawa will contest for the Miss World crown in Washington in December.

(Source: Times of India)