*It appears the country of Japan thinks Black is beautiful, too. This, despite the nation’s reputation for a lack of diversity.
Ariana Miyamoto, the daughter of a Japanese mother and African-American father, has been named “Miss Universe Japan.”
Miyamoto recently became the first multiracial contestant to wear the crown, according to media reports. The former Miss Nagasaki will represent Japan in the 2015 Miss Universe pageant.
The local media refer to the 20-year-old as a “saishoku kenbi,” a woman blessed with both intelligence and beauty. She holds a fifth-degree mastery of Japanese calligraphy, according to JapanToday.com.
But there have been mixed reactions to a “hāfu,” the Japanese word used to refer to half-Japanese individuals, representing the country.
Read more at EURThisNthat.