It's Time for Miss Universe Japan 2008

It's Time for Miss Universe Japan 2008

Mar 27th, 2008 by Neil

A week today and the 10 finalists in this years Miss Universe Japan contest will take the stage hoping to represent Japan later in the year and Miss Universe 2008.

Since attending Miss Nippon 2008 i had kept a close eye on the calendar in the lead up to next weeks event. Not close enough by the looks of it and it seems ticket sales closed yesterday. I have someone on the job as i write this and i’m still a hopeful starter at next Thursdays event, fingers crossed.

Since its founding in 1998, the Miss Universe Japan pageant, run by acclaimed French national director, Ines Ligron. It has achieved the impressive result of having three top 5 finalists and one winner at the Miss Universe pageant within a short span of 9 years.

Ines Ligron was catapulted to the international spotlight when Riyo Mori won Japan’s second Miss Universe crown in Mexico in 2007.

Riyo Mori, a ballet dancer from Shizuoka won the Miss Universe Japan title and later went on to claim the Miss Universe title in Mexico City, Mexico. She is Japan’s first Miss Universe in 48 years.

In a pageant filled with mishaps and controversy, during the crowning of Riyo with the official Mikimoto crown, it slipped from her grasp and nearly fell to the floor.

Mori was able to hold on to the crown, which is made of diamonds and pearls and is valued at over $250,000.

The crown is now secure for the one year reign of Ms. Mori, while Akiko Chubachi took over the title of Miss Universe Japan 2007.

The remaining 10 girls hoping to following in the footsteps of Chibana Kurara, Miss Universe Japan 2006 and are as follows;

Asuza Nishigaki

Chie Hirai on the right

Hiroko Mima

Kana Anan & Sayo Yamaguchi

Moe Aoki

Rui Watanabe

Kana Anan far right

Yoshimi Sato

Yukari Honna far right.

Yuri Horita with Moe Aoki, Asuza Nishigaki and Sayo Yamaguchi

Pictures courtesy of the Miss Universe Japan official site.