Mixed race Miss Universe Japan, Ariana Miyamoto, being criticized for not looking Japanese enough to represent the country

Ariana Miyamoto, Miss Universe Japan, is being accused of not looking Japanese enough to represent their country.

She was born in Japan and she’s half Japanese and half African-American, the first mixed race Miss Universe to represent Japan. She's now being described as a “"hafu,” which means she’s bi-racial.

Huffington Post reports Japanese websites are reporting on the remarks people have taken to social media to say, such as “Is it okay to select a hafu to represent Japan?"

One person told CNN, "Half is not 100% Japanese. If someone is chosen as Miss Japan, both her parents should be Japanese."

Some are supporting her for overcoming stereotypes of milky white skin being a symbol of beauty in Japan, and she revealed to CNN that she’s been bullied for having darker skin all her life.

"In school, people used to throw garbage at me,” she said. “I want to tell the world, even a half-Japanese can represent Japan.”

image via Twitter from Huffington Post