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contest

Last week i previewed the Miss Universe Japan contest, on the back of enjoying  Miss Nippon / Miss Japan 2008 earlier in the year, which was held at Tokyo Big Site last night. The winner who will go on to compete in the Miss Universe 2008 competition on the 14th of July in Vietnam is the lovely Hiroko Mima, not my pick but then again i wasn`t asked and i wouldn’t complain if i had a Japanese Girlfriend that looked like her either!

Hiroko, a 22-year-old student from Tokushima, beat out nearly 4,000 applicants this year. The 173-cm-tall beauty is a keen high jumper and excels at Awa Odori dance.

Here’s Hiroko pictured on the left, with last years winner, Riyo Mori, who went on to win Miss Universe 2007.

All the best to Hiroko in the coming months as she prepares to bring to title back to Japan for the second year running. I’m more than happy to extend the offer of private English lessons if she feels she needs some work in that area. Come to think of it, if any of her other Friends in the top 10 would like to take me up on the offer i’m more than happy to obligue, as would Chris i’m sure!

Miss Universe Japan

For a few more photos head over to this years Miss Nippon / Miss Japan 2008 event here

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Last night I attended the same function I met the grandson of the founder of Miss Nippon last year. Again it was held at the Keio Plaza hotel and again it was a great night.

I spent the early part of the evening talking to TVK Yokohamas Kyoko Nakayama which was interesting as always and also caught up with the World Extreme Skiing champion Yoshimasa Wada and told him of my recent Snowboarding trips.

The highlight would have to have been meeting Lungtok who apart from being part of the Tibet Olympic Judo Team several years ago, is currently the translator for the Dalai Lama when he is in Japan. Not only was his conversation interesting I was most impressed to hear he was fluent in 5 languages.

Unfortunately the guy in charge of taking the photo was obviously impared with Sake and he managed to take an out of focus photo.

Dalai Lama

Not unlike last time, the grog and food was put on, and put on very well i might ad. Fast becoming a favourite of mine is Sushi and I only broke away from the Sushi last night to try one thing and that was the Whale Steak. There was a raw option beside the cooked variety but my taste buds weren’t tempted.

Coming from Australia the topic of Whaling came up on several occasions and it was discussed in a mature fashion, more than I can say for the behaviour from the guys from Chasers in this recent clip on youtube. I never have really liked much of their stuff.

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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.

Update -

And the eventual winner of Miss Universe Japan 2008, Hiroko Mima.

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

Miss Universe

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

Asuza Nishigaki

Miss Universe

Chie Hirai on the right

Miss Universe

Hiroko Mima

Miss Universe

Kana Anan & Sayo Yamaguchi

Miss Universe

Moe Aoki

Miss Universe

Rui Watanabe

Miss Universe

Kana Anan far right

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