Ukrainian-Born Miss Japan Gives Up Title After Her Affair With Married Man Revealed

Contestants including Karolina Shiino (C), who won the Miss Nippon (Japan) Grand Prix, pose for a photo after the contest in Tokyo on Jan. 22, 2024. Miss Nippon Association via AP

TOKYO—The Ukrainian-born winner of this year’s Miss Japan beauty pageant and the contest’s organizers say she has renounced her title after a magazine published an article about her affair with a married man.

Karolina Shiino was crowned Miss Japan on Jan. 22, setting off renewed public debate over what it means to be Japanese.