A Ukrainian-born Miss Japan beauty pageant winner has relinquished her crown after a tabloid published an account of her affair with a married man. Caroline Shino, 26, was crowned Miss Japan two weeks ago, but her win sparked a public debate because of her background. While some hailed the citizen's crowning, others felt she did not fit traditional Japanese beauty ideals. An article in a local magazine claiming an affair became the center of attention in the aftermath.
An article in Shukan Bunshun reported that Ms. Shino was in a relationship with a married influential doctor. The man has not provided any public comment. In their initial response to the article last week, pageant organizers defended Ms. Shino, saying she did not know the man was married. On Monday, however, the organizers said she admitted to knowing the man's marital status. She apologized for the misrepresentation and organizers accepted her resignation from the title, the Miss Japan Association said. Ms. Shino also apologized to her fans and the public on Monday in a statement, where she said she acted out of fear and panic in response to the article. "I sincerely apologize for the great trouble I caused and for the betrayal of those who supported me," she said."