Ariana Miyamoto

Ariana Miyamoto
宮本 エリアナ
Beauty pageant titleholder
Born 12 May 1994
Sasebo, Japan
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Hair color Black
Eye color Brown
Title(s) Miss Japan 2015
Major
competition(s)		 Miss Japan 2015
(Winner)
Miss Universe 2015
(TBA)

Ariana Miyamoto (宮本 エリアナ 磨美子 Miyamoto Eriana Mamiko, born 12 May 1994 in Sasebo, Nagasaki) is a Japanese beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Japan 2015. She will represent her country at the Miss Universe 2015 pageant,[1] but her victory faced criticism from critics who verbally abused her for being Afro-Asian; she is the first mixed-race woman to be Miss Japan.[2][3]

Early life and education

Miyamoto was born to a Japanese mother and an African American father. After attending elementary school in Japan. Her parents divorced. She emigrated to the United States and moved with her father to his hometown of Jacksonville, Arkansas, where she attended Jacksonville High School (Arkansas) there and also worked as a bartender.[4][5][6]

In 2015, Miyamoto won the title of Miss Nagasaki and represented her prefecture at the Miss Universe Japan contest.[7][8][9]

Miss Universe Japan 2015

On March 12, 2015, Miyamoto was crowned as Miss Universe Japan 2015 (Miss Japan 2015) at Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo in Bunkyō-ku, while Miss Oita and Chiba were the runner-ups of the event. The winners of Miss and Mister Japan 2015 (Junpei Watanabe of Akita) will compete at the Miss Universe and Mister International competitions.[10][11][12][13]

Miss Universe 2015

As Miss Japan 2015, Miyamoto will compete at the Miss Universe 2015 pageant. Paulina Vega, Miss Universe 2014 of Colombia will crown her successor at the end event.[14]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/first-multiracial-miss-universe-japan-has-been-crowned-n325131
  2. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3007430/First-mixed-race-Miss-Japan-forced-defend-abused-not-Japanese-father-African-American.html
  3. ↑ http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/02/us-japan-beauty-multiracial-idUSKBN0MT0TU20150402
  4. ↑ Peter Holley (March 20, 2015). "Why some critics think Japan’s Miss Universe contestant isn’t Japanese enough". Washington Post. Retrieved March 24, 2015. Miyamoto, who grew up in Japan but moved to the United States for high school, has cited Mariah Carey as a major inspiration because of the singer’s multiracial background...
  5. ↑ Audrey Akcasu (March 15, 2015). "Half-Japanese beauty chosen to represent Japan at Miss Universe 2015". RocketNews24. Retrieved March 24, 2015. After junior high graduation in Sasebo, she spent her high school years studying in the US. Upon returning to Japan as a young adult she set her sights on becoming a model.
  6. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3021032/First-mixed-race-Miss-Japan-Ariana-Myamoto-hits-spasmodic-vomit-racial-abuse-suffered-father-African-American.html
  7. ↑ "Miss Japan 2015: Ariana Miyamoto Reviews". www.angelopepdia.com. Angelopedia. 12 March 2015.
  8. ↑ http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2015/03/multiculturalism_triumphs_even_in_japan.html
  9. ↑ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/meet-ariana-miyamoto-first-biracial-miss-universe-japan/
  10. ↑ "Miss Japan 2015: Ariana Miyamoto Coronation". missosology.info. missosology.info. 12 March 2015.
  11. ↑ http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2015/03/18/our-lives/minstrel-show-black-beauty-queen-week/
  12. ↑ http://www.people.com/article/miss-universe-japan-ariana-miyamoto-controversy
  13. ↑ http://www.eonline.com/news/638837/miss-universe-japan-ariana-miyamoto-faces-controversy-for-not-being-japanese-enough-get-the-details
  14. ↑ "Miss Japan 2015: (Japanese News) Ariana Miyomoto". headlines.yahoo.co.jp. headlines.yahoo.co.jp. 12 March 2015.

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Keiko Tsuji		 Miss Universe Japan
2015 		Succeeded by
TBA