"Making Japanese Culture Look Ridiculous"... Miss Japan Outfit Angers Japanese Netizens

The outfit worn by Miss Japan Watanabe Juri at Miss Universe 2021. / Photo by Miss Universe official website capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] The outfit worn by the Japanese representative at the recently concluded 70th Miss Universe pageant on the 12th has become a subject of controversy.

According to HuffPost Japan, at the traditional costume competition held on the 12th (local time) in Eilat, Israel, the outfit worn by Japan's representative, Watanabe Juri (25), has drawn criticism.

The outfit Juri wore was a pink kimono-style dress with sleeves decorated with the Rising Sun flag. Additionally, the word "Japan" was written in Chinese characters on the upper chest area. Juri wore pink boots and a wig, and held maneki-neko figurines symbolizing good luck in both hands while presenting the outfit.

The outfit was designed by Israeli designer Aviad Herman to commemorate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Israel next year. The Israeli embassy explained that it fused the fashion style of Harajuku, a fashion hub for people in their teens and twenties, with the kimono, conveying a message of welcome and celebration.

However, Japanese netizens criticized it as an "unrealistic outfit that looks like it came out of a manga." One netizen commented on the Facebook page of the Embassy of Israel in Japan, which introduced the outfit, saying, "It lacks aesthetic sense and formality. It completely mocks Japanese history and culture."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.