Yukimi Matsuo is the winner of Miss Universe Japan 2013 and will compete in the 2013 Miss Universe 213 pageant
Yukimi Matsuo, Miss Universe Mie 2013, was crowned Miss Universe Japan 2013 on March 4, 2013 at the International Forum (Kokusai Forum) near Yurakucho Station, Tokyo. The beauty from Mie is 25 years old and stands 1.73 m. She will represent the country in the Miss Universe 2013 beauty pageant, where Olivia Culpo will crown her successor at the end of the event.
Yukimi Matsuo being crowned Miss Universe Japan 2013. Photo credit: TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)
The beauty from Mie is 25 years old and stands 1.73 m.
Yukimi Matsuo Crowned Miss Universe Japan 2013
She will represent the country in the Miss Universe 2013 beauty pageant
The first runner-up was Miss Universe Kanagawa Mikako Shimagokaki. The second runner-up was Miss Universe Gifu Momka Yamazaki. The third runner-up was Miss Universe Kagawa Tsumugi Yoshida and the fourth runner-up was Miss Universe Aichi 2013 Haruka Nagao.
Mikako Shimogaki, Miss Universe Kanagawa 2013, was the first runner-up
Momoka Yamazaki, Miss Universe Gifu 2013, was the second runner-up
The Miss Japan pageant had existed from 1952 to 1997. During that period, the pageant managed to produce a winner and three top 5 finalists at the Miss Universe pageant. In 1959, Akiko Kojima claimed the first crown for Japan. After a top 12 semifinalist placement in 1975, Japan managed to place only one more time prior to 1997, when Mizuho Sakaguchi took fourth place in 1988.
When the Miss Universe Japan pageant was founded in 1998, it was ran by French national director Ines Ligron. Until 2007, the organisation managed to produce one winner, two top 5 runners-up and one top 15 semifinalist at the Miss Universe pageant. Ligron was catapulted to the international spotlight when Riyo Mori won the second Miss Universe crown for Japan in 2007. In 2009, Ligron left the organisation which resulted in a different team now leading the organization.