Ariana Miyamoto

Ariana Miyamoto

Beauty pageant titleholder
Born	12 May 1994 Nagasaki, 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 (Top 10)

Ariana Mamiko Miyamoto (宮本・エリアナ・磨美子 Miyamoto Eriana Mamiko, born 12 May 1994 in Nagasaki) is a Japanese model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Japan 2015. She represented Japan at the Miss Universe 2015 pageant,^[1] but after her victory she faced some criticism on social media for not appearing to be Japanese; she is the first hāfu (multiracial) woman to be Miss Japan.^[2][3]

Early life and education

Miyamoto was born to a Japanese mother and an African American father, Bryant Stanfield, who was stationed at a United States Navy base in Sasebo.^[4] She attended elementary school in Japan and, at age 13, emigrated to the United States to live with her father in Jacksonville, Arkansas, where she attended Jacksonville High School for two years. Upon return to her native Japan, she did not immediately complete high school, but worked odd jobs, including that of a bartender.^{[5][6][7][8][9]}

In 2015, Miyamoto won the title of Miss Nagasaki and represented her prefecture at the Miss Universe Japan contest.^{[10][11][12][13]}

Miss Universe Japan 2015

On 12 March 2015, Miyamoto was crowned as Miss Universe Japan 2015 (Miss Japan 2015) at Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo in Bunkyō-ku, while Miss Oita and Miss Chiba were the runners-up. The winners of Miss Universe and Mister Japan 2015 (Junpei Watanabe of Akita) will compete at the Miss Universe and Mister International competitions.^{[14][15][16][17]}

Miss Universe 2015

As Miss Japan 2015, Miyamoto competed at the Miss Universe 2015 pageant.^[18] Where she made it to the Top 10. Japan made the Top 5 in 2007 with Rio Moya being crowd Miss Universe. Before Miyamoto's placement, Japan placed in the Top 15 last in 2008 with Hiroko Mima.

References

1. "The First Multiracial Miss Universe Japan Has Been Crowned". NBC News. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
2. "Miss Japan's Ariana Miyamoto abused for 'not being Japanese enough' - Daily Mail Online". Mail Online. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
3. "Multiracial Miss Japan hopes to change homeland's thinking on identity". Reuters. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
4. Kirk Spitzer (May 30, 2015). "Beauty queen fights racial bias in Japan". USA Today. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
5. 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...
6. 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.
7. "Miss Japan Ariana Miyamoto hits out at racial abuse - Daily Mail Online". Mail Online. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
8. Martin Fackler (May 29, 2015). "Biracial Beauty Queen Challenges Japan’s Self-Image". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2015. She said everything changed at age 13 when she decided to reach out to her father, who invited her to his home in Jacksonville, Ark.
9. "Arkansas Times - April 16, 2015 by Arkansas Times". issuu. 2015-04-16. Retrieved 2016-04-13.
10. "Miss Japan 2015: Ariana Miyamoto Reviews". www.angelopepdia.com. Angelopedia. 12 March 2015.
11. "Blog: Multiculturalism triumphs, even in Japan". americanthinker.com. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
12. "Ariana Miyamoto, first biracial Miss Japan, brings light to racial issues in her country". cbsnews.com. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
13. "Multiracial Miss Universe Japan Symbolizes The Country's Transformation". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
14. "Miss Japan 2015: Ariana Miyamoto Coronation". missosology.info. missosology.info. 12 March 2015.
15. "From a minstrel no-show to a black beauty queen, in a week". The Japan Times. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
16. "Miss Universe Japan Ariana Miyamoto Criticized for Not Being Japanese Enough : People.com". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
17. "Miss Universe Japan Facing Backlash at Home From Those Who Object to Biracial Beauty Queen Taking the Crown: Get the Details". E! Online. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
18. "A Hafu Japanese woman at Miss Universe 2015". PageantsNews.com. 15 May 2015.

External links

• Miss Universe Japan