Aisha Harumi Tochigi, who hails from Chiba Prefecture, was crowned Miss Universe Japan 2020 during the local pageant’s finals in Tokyo.
Aisha, whose father is a Ghanaian, beat 29 other contestants during the pageantry show held on October 29.
It was Tochigi’s second time competing in the beauty pageant that selects Japan’s representative to Miss Universe. When Tochigi joined Miss Universe Japan 2019, she finished in the Top 5.
But this year, she was able to stand out among her peers during the question and answer portion on discrimination.
“I’d like to spread that nobody should be judged by their color (or)…where they come from because this year, there was so much discrimination,” she said. “I’d like to tell people that we shouldn’t judge people by their appearance but understand them, understand each other. It is the key to end discrimination. I’d like to spread that.”
Born on January 4, 1996, to a Ghanaian father and Japanese mother, Tochigi grew up in Japan and has been involved in volunteer activities both in Japan and Ghana since 2006.
Aisha will be representing Japan at the Miss Universe pageant.
