今年のミス日本。ウクライナ生まれの椎野カロリーナさん（26）が栄冠に輝きました。5歳で来日、昨年帰化されました。日本人の血が流れていないミスの選択は議論を引き起こしました。
A model who was born in Ukraine has been crowned Miss Japan, sparking controversy and reigniting a debate over Japanese identity.
※reignite再燃する
The decision to pick a winner with European heritage has raised questions about beauty standards and what it means to be Japanese.
She is the first naturalized Japanese citizen to win the pageant, but her victory has re-ignited a debate on what it means to be Japanese.
※naturalize=(外国人を)帰化させる、市民権、国籍を与える
※a (beauty) pageant 美人コンテスト pageantは〔大仕掛けな〕歴史ショー、野外劇、多くの参加者が登場する仮装行列やショー、華麗な出し物
完璧な日本語で、「日本人として認められたという感謝の気持ちでいっぱいです」と涙を流しながら喜びを語りました。
"Being recognized as a Japanese in this competition fills me with gratitude.” That's what a tearful Carolina Shiino said in impeccable Japanese after she was crowned Miss Japan on Monday.
※impeccable=欠点のない、申し分のない、完璧な➾perfect、flawless ➾流暢なfluent
ハーフの出場者がミス・ユニバース日本大会で初めて優勝をしたのは2015年で、その当時も様々な議論がありました。
Her win comes nearly 10 years after Ariana Miyamoto became the first bi-racial woman to be crowned Miss Japan in 2015. Back then, with a Japanese mother and African American father, Ms Miyamoto's victory raised questions about whether a person of mixed race should be eligible to win the competition.
※bi-racial＝二つの人種からなること。両親の人種がそれぞれ異なること。また、そのような人。特に白人と黒人のハーフ。
今回は全く日本人の血が流れていないことで、SNSを中心に動揺が広がりました。
Now, the fact Ms Shiino has no Japanese parentage has upset some on social media. Several people took to social media to question whether Shiino is truly the face of Japan.
※take to ～に赴く、利用する
"So, someone who doesn't have a drop of Japanese blood and has no trace of Japanese-ness is going to represent Japanese women?" said one person on the social media platform X.
Others questioned whether choosing the Ukrainian-born model was a political decision.
"If she were born Russian, she wouldn't have won. Not a chance. Obviously the criteria is now a political decision. What a sad day for Japan," one person alleged.
単一民族国家の日本も、グローバル化で、近年は複雑になってきています。
Japan is an ethnically homogenous country with comparatively low levels of immigration. Nationalities and ethnicities are becoming more complex in an era of globalization.
※homogeneous＝同種のものから成る、同質の、均一の、
その後、週刊文春が、妻子ある男性医師と親密な関係を報じました。事実を認めた椎野さんはタイトル返上を申し出ました。2024年度のミス日本グランプリは『空位』となります。
Karolina Shiino has relinquished her title following a magazine report that she was having an affair with a married man.
It is the first time a Miss Japan winner has relinquished their title. The organizer said the post will be vacant for the year.
※relinquish 放棄する、～手を引く ※タイトル等を返上するはgive up the titleでOK
※vacant〔中身が〕空の〔場所が〕使われていない〔職位が〕欠員がある、空位の
