American & biker wannabe wins Miss Universe Japan 2015

[Taro Toporific]

Ariana-Miyamoto.jpg

Half-American Ariana Miyamoto is Miss Universe Japan 2015
Missosology 2015/Mar13
20-year-old Ariana Miyamoto, a part-time worker and a daughter of a black American father and Japanese mother became the first ever bi-racial winner of Miss Universe Japan.  She is from Sasebo City, home of Japan’s very important naval base in Kyushu Island...more...

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Ariana Miyamoto crowned Miss Universe Japan 2015
Angelopedia
Ariana after completing her graduation from the local Nagasaki junior high school went to USA to complete her studies. Ariana has an inclination towards cooking and sports, volleyball being her favourite sport. Before entering the glamorous world of modeling, Ariana worked as a bartender, which was a learning experience for her. The scintillating beauty is passionate about bikes and desires to buy a Harley Davidson if she wins a lottery someday...more...

[Russell]

Ariana has an inclination towards cooking and sports, volleyball being her favourite sport.

Hmm, wondering what that means.

She sometimes likes to do some cooking and sports?

That seems hardly special at all.

[Coligny]

Ariana has an inclination towards cooking and sports, volleyball being her favourite sport.

Hmm, wondering what that means.

She sometimes likes to do some cooking and sports?

That seems hardly special at all.

At least it's not "nail carving"...

[Russell]

Ariana has an inclination towards cooking and sports, volleyball being her favourite sport.

Hmm, wondering what that means.

She sometimes likes to do some cooking and sports?

That seems hardly special at all.

At least it's not "nail carving"...

LOL, yes, she has "no inclination towards nail carving".

[matsuki]

As much as I see this as a step in a positive direction, I can't help laughing at this:

The answer to the question that got Ariani to the crown goes like –

Q: Who is the most influential person in your life?

A: Mariah Carey. She has been through a lot of difficulties before becoming a popular singing sensation.

Were the judges a panel of former gyaru?

[kurogane]

Yea for her, but it would have helped a lot if she were hot hot instead of insectoid anime hot. As for being a bubblehead, well............

[Coligny]

As much as I see this as a step in a positive direction, I can't help laughing at this:

The answer to the question that got Ariani to the crown goes like –

Q: Who is the most influential person in your life?

A: Mariah Carey. She has been through a lot of difficulties before becoming a popular singing sensation.

Were the judges a panel of former gyaru?

Making a martyr of every dumb fuck racking milions by wiggling her ass on TV is a great "dumber than fuck" wurnang...
Like Jennifer Lopez, they didn't exactly grew up in Sarajevo during the siege of the city...

[Samurai_Jerk]

Jennifer Lopez [...] didn't exactly grew up in Sarajevo during the siege of the city...

Worse. The South Bronx in the 70's and 80's.

[Coligny]

Still better than Detroit...

image.jpg

[Taro Toporific]

The Face of Japan Is Changing, But Some Aren't Ready
 kotaku.com / 2015Mar13
...{Ariana Miyamoto's} selection has caused controversy online in Japan. Website Byokan Sunday and Naver Matomehave a good round-up of comments that appeared on Twitter. Comments like, "Is it okay to select a hafu to represent Japan?" or "Because this is Miss Universe Japan, don't you think hafu are a no-no?" When not wondering if this was "okay," others said things like she didn't look Japanese, her face was "too gaijin" or that the country deserved a "pure-blooded Japanese" (純日本人 or "junnihon") beauty, instead. Elsewhere online, one commenter wrote, "It makes me uncomfortable to say she's representing Japan."
More...

[Coligny]

Jennifer Lopez [...] didn't exactly grew up in Sarajevo during the siege of the city...

Worse. The South Bronx in the 70's and 80's.

Moar seriously. If you know of any book (the pictury kind) on urban decay in New York in the 70-80 I'm taker.
Same for Chicago Skyline (non decayed thought)
From what I saw of Chicago's buildings near the waterways some are massive and give this feeling on being giant with their own purpose with humans presence being just parasitic/symbiotic.
My middle school building was this way but on a miniature scale. The whole construction had so much character that humans were superfluous. There was nearly no guessing what was where from the outside and you never knew if a door would lead you to the outside, a corridor or a stairway to the bottom of the earth. remember one classroom with a 3/4 height door at the bottom of the room always locked. With nobody wanting to sit anywhere near it because of the weird draft/noise/echo coming from it...

The exact opposite of most japanese buildings that look not even sufficient to fullfill a purpose without falling appart. The layout can be read from outside and is ill fitting to its duty most of the time.

[legion]

The Face of Japan Is Changing, But Some Aren't Ready

How many times does she say "hafu" with emphasis in that video?

I spot the not so subtle hand of the Miss U Japan jimusho - this is not aimed at the pure children of yamato, it is aimed at the judges in the finals

They will lose to a trans-gender wombat

[matsuki]

The Face of Japan Is Changing, But Some Aren't Ready

How many times does she say "hafu" with emphasis in that video?

I was more annoyed at the full volume Chinese music...wtf?

I spot the not so subtle hand of the Miss U Japan jimusho - this is not aimed at the pure children of yamato, it is aimed at the judges in the finals

Probably...but if she becomes the next half "ninki talent" it's not all that bad.

They will lose to a trans-gender wombat

I'd go to Vegas with those odds

[kurogane]

How many times does she say "hafu" with emphasis in that video?
I spot the not so subtle hand of the Miss U Japan jimusho - this is not aimed at the pure children of yamato, it is aimed at the judges in the finals

Yeah, that was my first reaction. I don't think I want to watch that video, but if she's Embraced!! it herself she'll be a perfect Uncle Tomiko. In that sense it's all sort of sad, and her selection could be seen as silly because so gratuitous. Expecting Japan to push its non-existent ethnic diversity is at least silly and more often ethnocentric bluster worthy of few other than Debi.........to. Or, as Choko said, it's a step in the right direction but for totally different reasons than what I think he means: I think it might show that either these sordid displays are actually focussing more on talent than on simple ripeness or enough women are onto the meat auction schtick that rather mediocre girls like her are the best they can come up with. But she seems to have a Sooper Soonao Genki vibe, and I don't think she's Yoogly or anything, just not beauty contest pretty. I do think she looks rather Japanese, mind, in an annoying lemuresque fashion.　Ａｎｄ　ｓｈｅ　ｉｓ　ｊｕｓｔ　２０　ａｎｄ　ｇｉｖｅｎ　ｈｅｒ　ｌａｓｔ　ｎａｍｅ quite possibly raised by a single parent. So, yeah, Ganbare.

PS Wombats...............rofl rofl

[matsuki]

Yeah, that was my first reaction. I don't think I want to watch that video, but if she's Embraced!! it herself she'll be a perfect Uncle Tomiko. In that sense it's all sort of sad, and her selection could be seen as silly because so gratuitous. Expecting Japan to push its non-existent ethnic diversity is at least silly and more often ethnocentric bluster worthy of few other than Debi.........to. Or, as Choko said, it's a step in the right direction but for totally different reasons than what I think he means: I think it might show that either these sordid displays are actually focussing more on talent than on simple ripeness or enough women are onto the meat auction schtick that rather mediocre girls like her are the best they can come up with.

For the record, I agree that it's probably the jimusyo doing something they think is "crazy and new" for the publicity an all....but whatever the reason, it forces the whole cuntry to feast it's eyes on a billingual/cultural Japanese that doesn't fit their "we Japanese" stereotype...which is a good thing. (and I wonder what all the finger waggers views on Darvish are...)

[Samurai_Jerk]

She looks a lot better in the video than in the photos but when you compare her to Miss Anywhere-in-South-America it's not even close. But that's true of every Miss Universe Japan including Riyo Mori who managed to win.

[Russell]

She looks a lot better in the video than in the photos...

Don't think so, but she does have beautiful teeth...

[kurogane]

Yes, she does. Perhaps that alone will help break down some old stereotypes. Anyways, she is a lovely youg woman with a brilliant smile but as SJ noted, hardly limp worthy beautiful in comparison to the competition.

Choko,
I knew what you meant. My point is that is our concern; our (actually, your ) Western fetish for statisticaly insignificant variations aside, they are monoethnic. Not to defend the buttheads whining about whether she is representative or not, which is just peevish anyways. She grew up in Japan, her mother's Japanese. Assuming she speaks normal Japanese, Nuff said. But this idea that it matters in any significant way is almost Debitoesque, other than the always nice idea of promoting acceptance, decency and grace regardless of looks or first impression.

It's probably too soon after that other Japanese chick won, but this could be a very clever Oscar Bait style routine, like all the cougar bait pity junkie movies that keep winning Academy Awards. I predict she makes the finals.

[Yokohammer]

Kurara Chibana FTW.

I don't think any of 'em have even come close to her grace, intelligence, and class.

Despite the stupid costume.

[Coligny]

Take this please...

image.jpg

[J.A.F.O]

Yes, she does. Perhaps that alone will help break down some old stereotypes. Anyways, she is a lovely youg woman with a brilliant smile but as SJ noted, hardly limp worthy beautiful in comparison to the competition.

Choko,
I knew what you meant. My point is that is our concern; our (actually, your ) Western fetish for statisticaly insignificant variations aside, they are monoethnic. Not to defend the buttheads whining about whether she is representative or not, which is just peevish anyways. She grew up in Japan, her mother's Japanese. Assuming she speaks normal Japanese, Nuff said. But this idea that it matters in any significant way is almost Debitoesque, other than the always nice idea of promoting acceptance, decency and grace regardless of looks or first impression.

It's probably too soon after that other Japanese chick won, but this could be a very clever Oscar Bait style routine, like all the cougar bait pity junkie movies that keep winning Academy Awards. I predict she makes the finals.

At the risk of sounding Debitoesque. I'm ok with their "junnihon" byline ... I don't like forcing anything on anyone, be it morals, diversity or even equality. Which is the vibe I'm getting from it, correctly or otherwise. This selection of the hafu seems political which kinda urks me as opposed to (let me spit out the words) "winning on her own merits". It's already a corporate circle jerk as it is so I'm not surprised to see this being injected to the game.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Jennifer Lopez [...] didn't exactly grew up in Sarajevo during the siege of the city...

Worse. The South Bronx in the 70's and 80's.

Moar seriously. If you know of any book (the pictury kind) on urban decay in New York in the 70-80 I'm taker.
Same for Chicago Skyline (non decayed thought)
From what I saw of Chicago's buildings near the waterways some are massive and give this feeling on being giant with their own purpose with humans presence being just parasitic/symbiotic.
My middle school building was this way but on a miniature scale. The whole construction had so much character that humans were superfluous. There was nearly no guessing what was where from the outside and you never knew if a door would lead you to the outside, a corridor or a stairway to the bottom of the earth. remember one classroom with a 3/4 height door at the bottom of the room always locked. With nobody wanting to sit anywhere near it because of the weird draft/noise/echo coming from it...

The exact opposite of most japanese buildings that look not even sufficient to fullfill a purpose without falling appart. The layout can be read from outside and is ill fitting to its duty most of the time.

This might be a good place to start: http://www.amazon.com/American-Ruins-Ca ... 1580930565

[kurogane]

At the risk of sounding Debitoesque. I'm ok with their "junnihon" byline ... I don't like forcing anything on anyone, be it morals, diversity or even equality. Which is the vibe I'm getting from it, correctly or otherwise. This selection of the hafu seems political which kinda urks me as opposed to (let me spit out the words) "winning on her own merits". It's already a corporate circle jerk as it is so I'm not surprised to see this being injected to the game.

I totally agree with what you said there. By Debitoesque I meant paying attention to and demanding recognition of an external value (ethnic diversity) that is not just alien but also irrelevant (at a systemic level). I also smell a ploy, and it smells like the runup to Tokyo 2020. Here comes Super Multicultural Japan: 2020 Redux

(FYI the Stanford Anthropologist Harumi Befu has been flogging that dead donkey since I was still an academic)

Here is a classic example of what I find annoying about this silly notion of an ethnically diverse Jpaan:

Monoethnicity is the existence of a single ethnic group in a given region. It is the opposite of polyethnicity.
The use of the concept of monoethnicity has been criticized for preventing diversity from being recognized. For example, it is a common belief in Japan that the entire country is monoethnic, but this is a myth; there are many ethnic minorities in Japan (e.g. Koreans, Ainus, and Ryukyuans). They represent around 1% of the whole population.

Not "they represent only about 1% of the whole populaton", but rather the reverse emphasis "Around a WHOLE percentage point!!!!!!!"

You would have to be a rabidly dogmatic and especially untalented ethnic studies major to even start to think that is a significant proportion of an otherwise monobloc demographic. Or somebody called Debito. It's bad social science and as JAFO pointed out, presumptuous as all hell.

OTOH, even if only half of her Half complex is half as bad as it seems from her having used the word Hafu 5 times in the first half of that interview I say good on her, good luck, and goodbye. Maybe she wasn't poor but growing up that concerned about something that could be trivial can't be good for anybody, especially not a cheery looking kid like her.

OR, this is a newer version of the old Miyazawa Rie ploy and Mom and whomever coached her to play to her strengths and they're milking the Hafu thing for all that Moo Moo cow is worth.

[Russell]

Here is a classic example of what I find annoying about this silly notion of an ethnically diverse Japan:

Monoethnicity is the existence of a single ethnic group in a given region. It is the opposite of polyethnicity.
The use of the concept of monoethnicity has been criticized for preventing diversity from being recognized. For example, it is a common belief in Japan that the entire country is monoethnic, but this is a myth; there are many ethnic minorities in Japan (e.g. Koreans, Ainus, and Ryukyuans). They represent around 1% of the whole population.

Not "they represent only about 1% of the whole populaton", but rather the reverse emphasis "Around a WHOLE percentage point!!!!!!!"

Now imagine that by 2020 the ethnic minorities in Japan increase in number to, say, 1.3% of the whole population. That will then be presented as "in the last 5 years our ethnic population increased by 30%"...

[Samurai_Jerk]

At the risk of sounding Debitoesque. I'm ok with their "junnihon" byline ... I don't like forcing anything on anyone, be it morals, diversity or even equality. Which is the vibe I'm getting from it, correctly or otherwise. This selection of the hafu seems political which kinda urks me as opposed to (let me spit out the words) "winning on her own merits". It's already a corporate circle jerk as it is so I'm not surprised to see this being injected to the game.

I totally agree with what you said there. By Debitoesque I meant paying attention to and demanding recognition of an external value (ethnic diversity) that is not just alien but also irrelevant (at a systemic level). I also smell a ploy, and it smells like the runup to Tokyo 2020. Here comes Super Multicultural Japan: 2020 Redux

(FYI the Stanford Anthropologist Harumi Befu has been flogging that dead donkey since I was still an academic)

Here is a classic example of what I find annoying about this silly notion of an ethnically diverse Jpaan:

Monoethnicity is the existence of a single ethnic group in a given region. It is the opposite of polyethnicity.
The use of the concept of monoethnicity has been criticized for preventing diversity from being recognized. For example, it is a common belief in Japan that the entire country is monoethnic, but this is a myth; there are many ethnic minorities in Japan (e.g. Koreans, Ainus, and Ryukyuans). They represent around 1% of the whole population.

Not "they represent only about 1% of the whole populaton", but rather the reverse emphasis "Around a WHOLE percentage point!!!!!!!"

You would have to be a rabidly dogmatic and especially untalented ethnic studies major to even start to think that is a significant proportion of an otherwise monobloc demographic. Or somebody called Debito. It's bad social science and as JAFO pointed out, presumptuous as all hell.

I've seen it taken even further in academia. I did a paper on Japanese-Brazilian return immigration in a Japanese Political Science class. I can't remember which book it was I came across in my research but there was a passage about the myth of Japanese homogeneity. And the authors weren't even talking about Ainus, Ryukyuans, Zainichi Koreans, etc. They were claiming that Japan was a country made up of different ethnic groups that were all convinced they were part of a single Yamato race through Meiji Era propaganda. In other words, the people of places like Satsuma, Edo, and Kyoto were all different ethnicities.

Anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if this was a PC ploy by Miss Yunibasu Japan Inc. to get another win for Nippon but I don't think we should be too hard on Ariana. Apparently it can be pretty tough growing up half in Japan and it's probably even tougher when you're not the kind of half that fits their wet dreams of what a half should look like (e.g. the Michibata sisters). I'm sure that could give you a complex.

[kurogane]

Now imagine that by 2020 the ethnic minorities in Japan increase in number to, say, 1.3% of the whole population. That will then be presented as "in the last 5 years our ethnic population increased by 30%"...

Hehehe. Good arithmetic. I would actually be happy to hear them say that, as long as it isn't the shrill weirdos in those vans screaming about the imminent end of Japan as we know it. FTR, I am all for the recognition and even celebration (erp) of whatever diversity they do have and choose to celebrate whether it be Hafu or Whole. But I strongly agree with JAFO about not yanking them by the nose ring into doing it, and I dislike it when it stinks like a cheap corporate media ploy to sell more crap.

But I will certainly buy multiple copies of the redneck sports tabloids with the 30% Increase in Foreigners!! in bold red type.

[kurogane]

I've seen it taken even further in academia. I did a paper on Japanese-Brazilian return immigration in a Japanese Political Science class. I can't remember which book it was I came across in my research but there was a passage about the myth of Japanese homogeneity. And the authors weren't even talking about Ainus, Ryukyuans, Zainichi Koreans, etc. They were claiming that Japan was a country made up of different ethnic groups that were all convinced they were part of a single Yamato race through Meiji Era propaganda. In other words, the people of places like Satsuma, Edo, and Kyoto were all different ethnicities.

I remember those ones. There were 2 or 3 such studies in rather quick succession. I do believe Stanford's Befu had a hand in there somewhere. Technically they're right, but not for the reasons they thought: as you know, the whole concept of Ethnicity is so nebulous it can mean race, group, culture, genetic heritage, or pretty much WTF the author wants it to depending on their working definition. In a Social or Cultural Anthropological sense the regional differences and variations (esp. linguistic) were so significant back then they probably would have qualified under a lot of definitions of ethnicity (but not Race), and the monoethnic discourse always was specifically a unifying discourse devised as and intended as an element of defence against Western Imperial encroachment. BUT, once the window for a definition of Japan as a broad national umbrella covering multiple regional ethnicities was closed it became pointless for everyone except grad students to question it. I still do refer to Japan as a Toitsu-ka (統一化)　sareta minzoku but at the very best I still get wearily raised eyebrows, even though those that get it know I'm right.

And thanks for the memories of the Brazilian Returnee Lobby. Some of the best Pity Junkie Research ever done in anthropology grad seminars; if only they knew then how quickly they'd take the money and run. Not that I am without sympathy for some of those migrants, but far too many just pushed the whole Pity Us! Pity Us! schtick too far.

Anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if this was a PC ploy by Miss Yunibasu Japan Inc. to get another win for Nippon but I don't think we should be too hard on Ariana. Apparently it can be pretty tough growing up half in Japan and it's probably even tougher when you're not the kind of half that fits their wet dreams of what a half should look like (e.g. the Michibata sisters). I'm sure that could give you a complex.

Agreed. She's rather fetching in a nice mildly over eager GND kind of way, she's only 20 years old, and I happily admit all I want are a bunch of Waka Inoue / Aoi Kaede clones running around shaking like a Benny Hill sketch. I also though the one YokoHammer mentioned (Kurara?) was a talented candidate but the stick women don't do it for me, and they're all we're ever gonna get from Japan.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Technically they're right, but not for the reasons they thought: as you know, the whole concept of Ethnicity is so nebulous it can mean race, group, culture, genetic heritage, or pretty much WTF the author wants it to depending on their working definition. In a Social or Cultural Anthropological sense the regional differences and variations (esp. linguistic) were so significant back then they probably would have qualified under a lot of definitions of ethnicity (but not Race), and the monoethnic discourse always was specifically a unifying discourse devised as and intended as an element of defence against Western Imperial encroachment. BUT, once the window for a definition of Japan as a broad national umbrella covering multiple regional ethnicities was closed it became pointless for everyone except grad students to question it.

Exactly what I thought when I read it. I think there are more than 20 kinds of spoken Swiss German that aren't mutually intelligible. You could argue that makes each of those language groups a separate ethnicity within Switzerland.

I agree that trying the push the myth of multicultural Japan is bullshit and doesn't really do anything for anyone. However, the idea that you shouldn't ever force anything on anyone like JAFO suggested is equally bullshit. If you support the status quo and don't push equality for example, you're forcing those discriminated against to accept being second class citizens. If there isn't a strong native movement pushing for that equality though white knights from the outside aren't going to get very far.

[Coligny]

Jennifer Lopez [...] didn't exactly grew up in Sarajevo during the siege of the city...

Worse. The South Bronx in the 70's and 80's.

Moar seriously. If you know of any book (the pictury kind) on urban decay in New York in the 70-80 I'm taker.
Same for Chicago Skyline (non decayed thought)
From what I saw of Chicago's buildings near the waterways some are massive and give this feeling on being giant with their own purpose with humans presence being just parasitic/symbiotic.
My middle school building was this way but on a miniature scale. The whole construction had so much character that humans were superfluous. There was nearly no guessing what was where from the outside and you never knew if a door would lead you to the outside, a corridor or a stairway to the bottom of the earth. remember one classroom with a 3/4 height door at the bottom of the room always locked. With nobody wanting to sit anywhere near it because of the weird draft/noise/echo coming from it...

The exact opposite of most japanese buildings that look not even sufficient to fullfill a purpose without falling appart. The layout can be read from outside and is ill fitting to its duty most of the time.

This might be a good place to start: http://www.amazon.com/American-Ruins-Ca ... 1580930565

Thanx, ordere unexpected chicagoland too:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/156584 ... 1426314545

[J.A.F.O]

Technically they're right, but not for the reasons they thought: as you know, the whole concept of Ethnicity is so nebulous it can mean race, group, culture, genetic heritage, or pretty much WTF the author wants it to depending on their working definition. In a Social or Cultural Anthropological sense the regional differences and variations (esp. linguistic) were so significant back then they probably would have qualified under a lot of definitions of ethnicity (but not Race), and the monoethnic discourse always was specifically a unifying discourse devised as and intended as an element of defence against Western Imperial encroachment. BUT, once the window for a definition of Japan as a broad national umbrella covering multiple regional ethnicities was closed it became pointless for everyone except grad students to question it.

Exactly what I thought when I read it. I think there are more than 20 kinds of spoken Swiss German that aren't mutually intelligible. You could argue that makes each of those language groups a separate ethnicity within Switzerland.

I agree that trying the push the myth of multicultural Japan is bullshit and doesn't really do anything for anyone. However, the idea that you shouldn't ever force anything on anyone like JAFO suggested is equally bullshit. If you support the status quo and don't push equality for example, you're forcing those discriminated against to accept being second class citizens. If there isn't a strong native movement pushing for that equality though white knights from the outside aren't going to get very far.

Not really suggesting anything, just stating how I feel on the subject. Also to clarify I'm not saying NEVER force anything only that I just don't much like it. Enforcement of property rights I think is pretty important, be it corporeal or incorporeal. If we get down to brass tacks I'm pretty much against citizenship all together. Reading too much history and legal theory books (my stock in trade actually) Roman and Greco specifically and to a lesser extent Babylonian and persia. I decided for myself that citizenship is kin to being on a plantation. So that being said I don't want anyone to accept being 2nd class anything. Furthermore, until the japanese put me in a concentration camp, I am free to go to a place more hospitable should I decide that I'm being treated as such. My fear with equality is the old adage that "This guy has a ball and chain, are you sure you want to be equal?" So is the danger of regulating non-tangible things. And, in reality weren't they here before me ... Do I come in here trying to force my ethics upon the established social fabric? If I do then I am at risk of being a conquistador, so then why not just march in here with armies and destroy all opposition? Do it right and kill all the educated as Pol Pot attempted, right? I don't agree with how many of the japanese discriminate, I am however ok with their right to do so. I chose to protest by other means.

I don't expect others to adopt what I believe either, just shooting the shit with my fellows at the bar so to speak.