• How would you define "beauty?"
I think that 'beauty' is about being confident, about who you are as well as portraying that confidence to others. I am a strong believer in the fact that beauty comes from the inside. A year ago, I never would have thought that I can be Miss Universe Japan but I applied because I got a lot of encouragement from my family and close friends. At this period of my life, I started becoming more confident about myself, being in front of people and I started believing that I could be Miss Universe Japan, and now I believe that I can be Miss Universe!

• What were your reasons for joining the Miss Universe Japan pageant?
When I was living in France, I saw the reigning Miss France on television and she was so beautiful. I was never interested in beauty pageants but when I heard Miss France talking about charity and helping the people in need, I realized that beauty pageants are not all about the outer beauty. Miss France was radiating from the inside. I came back to Japan and found out that the national director was French, and since I have always been interested in helping those in need, I sent in my application. This was the main reason why I applied.

• How were you elected as Miss Universe Japan? Describe the judging process.
Last September, 300 candidates were chosen out of 4,200 applicants and were presented to the press. 10 judges from the entertainment industry selected 100 semi-finalists to advance to the pageant's finals. Training started with different coaches. We had to attend many charitable and promotional events. On February 2nd, the 15 finalists were selected and from that day, it has been a daily job for almost all of us. We had to put our job or studies on hold. But during those 4 months, we gained so much confidence and experience. It was incredible! We worked with big celebrities, among them Victoria Beckam, Maria Sharapova, Penelope Cruz and the Hiltons sisters. Until the final event on April 25th, we were always under constant pressure to be at our best anytime and anywhere. You could see that some girls could not cope up with the stress but I tried to keep myself focused and to "stay in." On the final day, we were judged in 3 different categories. The theme of the show this year was "treasure," reflecting a mix between India, Arabian and Chinese influences. The first part of the competition was the swimsuit competition by Rosa Chα, the maker of ultimate Brazilian bikinis! Next was the evening gown competition. We wore haute-couture dresses by Shanghai Tang sent from Hong Kong and London for the evening. Finally, we had the interview competition and we were asked questions that are frequently asked at the Miss Universe Pageant.

• What do you think are your qualities that helped you earn the judges' approval & the crown?
I feel that what helped me earn the title is that from the beginning until the final day, I always thought of myself as Miss Universe and acted as Miss Universe. Also, I can communicate with people in Japanese, English, French and Spanish, and my experience of having lived in France and Spain helped me think on a bigger scale, to reflect more maturity.

• Tell us about your preparations for the Miss Universe contest.
I prepared myself in two ways - mentally and physically. Mentally, I always try to think of myself as Miss Universe, even when I was at home! Physically, I've done a lot of exercises such as swimming and dancing Flamenco to keep my body toned and fit. Also, I took walking lessons from Miyako Miyazaki (Miss Japan 2003) and make-up lessons from Japanese make-up guru, Chiaki Shimada.

• Can you tell something that is so interesting or unique about you?
I am very passionate! When I become passionate about something, I become extremely focused and think only about that thing. For example, after three months in the semi-finals, I got an offer to work as a writer for a major publisher. After a lot of thinking, I rejected the offer even though only 6 applicants per year are chosen among thousands of candidates. Everyone thought I was crazy, but I had started something and this had become my goal, "j'aime aller jusqu'au bout," meaning I like to go up to the end. And I made the right choice because thanks to my title, I got offered for a much better position in a top fashion magazine that better fits me, and I get to travel the world and have my own 2-pages monthly. Patience and perseverance always pay back!

• Any beauty queen/s that you really admire? Why?
My favorite "beauty queen" is Anouk Aimee. I find her natural beauty very elegant but sexy at the same time. And of course Akiko Kojima because she is so delicate and elegant.

• Describe your fashion sense and style.
I would describe my fashion sense as being sexy, cool and elegant all at once! I used to be a tomboy when I was younger, running marathons, teaching kick-boxing! Until recently, I was always wearing trousers. However, when I entered the Miss Universe Japan competition, my director kept on telling me to dress more 'sexy' which was difficult to understand at first!! But, now I became a pro at switching from casual to glamour in an instant. I am always looking through fashion magazines, to see what is in fashion. But I never try to copy anyone; I always try to add in my own flavor to whatever I buy, so that it becomes "my style!" 

• How will you describe your country to your co-candidates at Miss Universe? 
Japan is a country of seasons, which means that there are many different aspects of the country that a tourist can enjoy. Every season, there is a part of Japan that is beautiful. For example, in the spring one can enjoy the cherry blossoms all around the country. During summer, one can enjoy the sea in Okinawa. In the autumn, one can enjoy the leaves changing colors in Kyoto while visiting the temples. And finally in the winter, you can experience the best ski in Hokkaido. Most people that have not visited Japan before have two very stereotypical views of Japan. One is the 'ancient Japan' image which involves Geishas, kimonos, ninjas, samurais. And the other one is the 'modern Japan' which makes them think of crowded trains, neon lights, high technology and futuristic trends. However most of the people that I know who have visited Japan leave the country with a different impression than what they had anticipated. If someone enjoys food and drinks, then they should definitely come to Japan to try the exquisite Japanese cuisine and... sake!

• What is your opinion on activists' point of view that exposure of too much skin in the swimsuit competition disrespects women?
I feel that "if you got it, flaunt it!" Miss Universe Pageant is a beauty pageant which judges beauty on the outside as well as the inside. Miss Universe is about beautiful women and the best way to see the woman's body is in a swimsuit. In a swimsuit, it is easy to see who has the fittest and most toned body. If a person feels that too much skin in the swimsuit competition disrespects woman, then he doesn't have to watch the pageant – these people should not stand in the way of others who are working really hard towards the dream of becoming Miss Universe.

• Supposed there is a Genie who happens to be mad at you for a wrong deed committed and his punishment is to turn you into an animal for a year. You can't plead to alter his decision but you get to decide what type of animal you would become, what creature would you choose and why?
I would choose to be a cat! There is an old story about a Japanese commander, Oda Nobunaga who passed by a cat one day, and the cat waved to him. He went to the cat, and then realized that he had avoided a trap that had been laid for him, just ahead of him. In the Japanese culture, since that time, cats are considered wise and lucky spirits. Many Japanese shrines and homes include a figurine of a cat with one paw upraised as if waving, called maneki neko (maneki=wave, neko=cat). The spirit of the 'maneki neko' is believed to bring luck and wealth.

• If it were your last day on earth, what would you eat & why?
I would eat curry that my grandmother makes... twice or more! It is made from a very old family recipe and every time I eat it, it reminds me of my childhood memories. It also makes me feel grateful for all the love that my family has given me and that have made me as who I am today.

• Do you have a motto or personal quote that you live by?
There is an old Okinawan proverb: "Choo kukuru ru dee ichi" meaning "The heart is the most essential human quality." When I was small, my elders would always tell us this proverb so that we would grow up believing it. I feel that in the world that we live in today, we constantly have to make decisions. Sometimes, we make the right decisions and sometimes we make the wrong ones, but if you believe what your heart tells you when making the decisions, then you will have no regrets.

• Aside from winning your title, what's the best thing that has ever happened to you?
It is having had the opportunity to live in Europe for one year. I love French films and I wanted to learn French so that I would not have to read the subtitles, and so I decided to take a year off from university to study in France. I can strongly say that my one-year stay abroad changed my life.

• Do you think winning a beauty pageant is really important? Tell us about your responsibilities as Miss Universe Japan titleholder.
Of course I think winning a beauty pageant is important! Many people undermine beauty pageants but they do not realize that it is more than just having beautiful women walking on a big stage. A beauty pageant such as Miss Universe creates a role model that both men and women, and also children look up to. It is not only about being beautiful, it also entails being aware of this gift that you have received in life, a combination of beauty, talent and charisma- a magnet for attention. It is also good to use it by helping the people in need around the world. My main responsibility as Miss Universe Japan is charity, then working for my sponsors. One of the reasons that I decided to enter the Miss Universe Japan contest was because I wanted to take part in many charity activities. I am fortunate to have been raised by loving parents in a comfortable environment but there are many people in the world who are less fortunate than I am. Charity is not very big in Japan, and therefore, as Miss Universe Japan, I want to open the eyes of people around me, to make them realize how fortunate they are and to convince them to get involved.

• Why do you want do be crowned Miss Universe and how would you define the title in your own terms?
I travel the world for my job to interview people, and during my journeys I meet people less fortunate than myself, some of them very miserable. I am involved in many charities, but I know deep inside that if I become famous or if I become Miss Universe, I would be able to make a difference in their lives at a much higher scale. The Miss Universe organization- being tied-up with so many charitable associations would also enable myself to work on a global scale, that is if I am fortunate enough to win the title. I wish to become an inspiration for young women, especially in Japan, where it is still a male dominant society, and to many young women are lost and they have no one that they can look up to and respect. As Miss Universe, I want to encourage them to be more confident in themselves and believe that Japanese women are also able to reach the top! From the encouragement that I got from my friends and family, I believed in myself that I could be Miss Universe Japan and now I want to take the next step, which is to become Miss Universe. I think the Miss Universe title is about a dream that becomes a reality if you really work hard. 

• What should pageant experts, your fellowmen, fans and beauty watchers expect from Miss Japan at Miss Universe 2006 pageant?
They should expect Miss Japan to win Miss Universe this year! 

• Finally, leave a message for your fans, supporters and the readers of Missosology.
A very big "thank you" to everyone who is supporting me!! It is a big boost of confidence to see how many people outside Japan, who are not even Japanese, are cheering me on! Please visit my blog sometimes (http://blog.arekao.jp/muj_kurara), and write me a message, I would love to write back to you.