Miss Japan, who is of Ukrainian descent, relinquishes her title after her involvement with a married man comes to light

In Tokyo, the victor of this year’s Miss Japan beauty pageant, Ukrainian-born Karolina Shiino, has voluntarily relinquished her title following the publication of an article in a magazine that exposed her involvement with a married man. The controversy surrounding her reign, which began on January 22, reignited public discussions about the definition of Japanese identity.

Ms. Shiino conveyed her decision through an Instagram post on Monday, stating that she proactively offered to surrender her crown and resign from her modeling agency after the article was published. She confirmed that both of her offers were accepted.

The Associated Press was unable to promptly obtain a comment from Ms. Shiino.

In a report last week, the Weekly Bunshun magazine disclosed that Ms. Shiino had been involved in a romantic relationship with a married doctor. Initially, she seemed to acknowledge the relationship but claimed she was unaware of his marital status.

Subsequently, she admitted that her initial explanation “was not true” and confessed to being aware of the doctor’s married status and family. Apologizing, she explained that she was in a state of shock and fear when the report surfaced, leading her to panic and initially withhold the truth.