22-year-old Priyanka Yoshikawa, with an Indian father and a Japanese mother was crowned Miss Japan on Monday. Priyanka is in the news as she has been crowned Miss Japan in the Miss Universe pageant and she will be participating in the final Miss World event with other contestants from across the globe.

Last year’s Miss Japan, Ariana Miyamoto was the first mixed-race person to win the pageant.

Critics complained then that a “pure” Japanese should have won.

“We are Japanese,” Ms Priyanka Yoshikawa told news outlet AFP. “Yes, my dad is Indian and I’m proud of it, I’m proud that I have Indian in me. But that doesn’t mean I’m not Japanese.”

She credited her win to Ms Miyamoto, saying she had helped show “mixed girls the way”.

“Before Ariana, haafu girls couldn’t represent Japan,” said Ms Yoshikawa. “That’s what I thought too. Ariana encouraged me a lot by showing me and all mixed girls the way.”

“I know a lot of people who are haafu and suffer,” she said. “When I came back to Japan, everyone thought I was a germ.”

“Like if they touched me they would be touching something bad. But I’m thankful because that made me really strong.”

“When I’m abroad, people never ask me what mix I am. As Miss Japan, hopefully I can help change perceptions so that it can be the same here too.”

She is also an avid kick-boxer and qualified elephant trainer.