Was it a well-deserved win for Ikumi Yoshimatsu?

Posted by Norman on October 22, 2012
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages. Tagged: , , .
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The many faces of Miss International 2012 Ikumi Yoshimatsu.

Let’s backtrack the host countries of Miss International before moving on with the topic. Only a total of three (3) countries – four if you don’t consider Macau as part of Mainland China – has staged and continue to stage the search for the most peace-loving and unity-adhering beauty queen. From the pageant’s inception in 1960 till 1967 and for the years 1971 and 1972, Long Beach, CA took charge of the annual beauty congress. From 1968-1970 and then from 1973 till 2003, Japan was at the helm running the event year after year, decade after decade, up until 2004 when China started to handle the same. Japan was host once more for the years 2005 and 2007, with Macau eking out a one-time effort in 2008 before relenting to the Chinese back in 2006 and from 2009 till last year. For 2012, Miss International returned home to where it stayed the longest and then Miss Japan finally won.

What’s the point in all of these? Simple. Japan has not taken full advantage of hosting duties to favor its own candidates until now. Sure, it frequently made the Top 15 or (on some occasions) even Top 3 , but nothing where the deliberations were as long and as hard as last night when the judges must have lengthily discussed the matter of letting Ikumi Yoshimatsu win or just a runner-up. I’m inclined to believe that a near-equal number of them were on opposing sides of the table dilly-dallying. In the end, the side of a pro-Japan victory got the edge. Their delegate is one of the more good-looking and better-prepared in decades of participation.

Do I consider Ikumi the best among the 69 contenders? No. At one point during the final phase, I was thinking that the likes of Sri Lanka’s Madusha Mayadunne or Haiti’s Anedie Azael or United Kingdom’s Alize Mounter (and even our Nicole Schmitz) are capable of getting the top nod. But Miss Japan wasn’t letting her guards down. She remained in the hunt up until close to the fifth hour. Her speech may have sounded too practiced to the ears of most, but so were the monologues given by a good number of the Top 15 reachers. And this is where the decision-makers exercised their authority to give the long-awaited first win to one of their own. Surprised? Yes, especially as it was coming close to the heels of Wenxia Yu winning Miss World in China. Disappointed? Yes, because our Nicole Schmitz should’ve been in the Top 5 at least. Can I peacefully move on? Most definitely. This can only mean that Japan will most likely host next year’s edition once more, and with the certainty that another country will succeed Ikumi for sure.

I would like to echo the sentiments of reader Glenn Dyer, though. The winning of a host country’s rep should be temporarily stopped. The scenario has already reached more than its quota for the next three years or so. If someone asks me, ‘What if she is really the most deserving to win?’, then I will plainly reply with ‘Just think of how the visiting delegates will answer that question.’ Blame it on my delicadeza, or sensitivity if you will.

Let’s hand the spotlight to the host country for now. If it’s any consolation, this is just their first time capturing the crown they could only stare at for several decades. We already had four. The fifth may come in 2013 or 2014 or 2015, even later. But it will come. That I am positive of. 😉

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20 comments on “Was it a well-deserved win for Ikumi Yoshimatsu?”

  1. To be perfectly honest with you my dear fellow pageant fans… this year batch of Miss International 2012.. NOT TOO MANY BEAUTIFUL. So the timing is very CALLED FOR IKUMI YOSHIMATSU to snatch the crown from the very few frontrunners, (tatoeba) to mention a few… Miss Paraguay and Miss Philippines. Among the Asian looking candidates SHE is the best!

  2. Norman — I just heard: Is it true that the Miss International Organization moved the pageant back to Japan this year because there was a concerted campaign and pressure from the Chinese organizers to crown its first Chinese winner? This is consistent with China’s appetite for winning another international title especially right after their Miss World win earlier this year. The upshot to all of this, of course, is Japan taking the pageant back to its home turf, and China’s withdrawal from Miss International this year. If there’s some truth in this, it certainly adds another dimension (and a very symbolic one at that) as to why the Miss International Organization finally decided to break its 52-year old tradition and crowned its first Japanese titlist.

  3. It never ceases to amaze me how the trolls come out from underground just after a pageant has crowned its winner. They are negative and ever so nasty and will point fingers at everyone but themselves – regardless of who won. We all have our opinions, we all have the freedom to express them in whatever manner we want. However, when a troll such as Flor, crawls out from under their rock, I guess the sunshine sends them into a demented state and they have no option but to spew vile. Go back to the darkness my dear Flor and keep repeating “Precious, my Precious” and life will be good for you again.
    I may not agree with this year’s choice for MI, but it is not a bad choice. On one hand, it was nice that Japan finally got the crown. On the other hand, I really think that Nicole truly deserved, at the least, a top three spot. Oh well… the bright side is that The Philippines made the top 15 four years in a row.
    Norman, I appreciate your opinions and outlook on all the pageants you write about. I may not agree with all your choices but it is certainly apparant to me (and not to those who live in caves) that you have a great eye and a great sense for the contestants and their placements in their respective pageants. Keep up the GREAT work!!!

    Much love…

  4. Japan a “well-deserved win”? Top 15, yes. The title, No. Just look at Norman’s top 15 and top 5 predictions and it’s all too apparent. I suspect the Miss International Organization had another agenda when they opted to break with tradition and crown their own.

  6. somebody in the name of good taste and decency teach this flor some manners. Lol flor, suck it up, its not your blog, and its none of your business

  7. Having transparency is what I like most about this blog. Everybody is free to express their sentiments. Norman surely knows that his blog followers know better. For whatever intentions Flor has, it’s surely is inappropriate and INACCURATE. LOL — but don’t we all know that?

  10. I love how all your predictions are W R O N G! oh nicole this… nicole that…. wow norman whats your next prediction miss guam winning miss earth? lol…. I SO LOVE IT WHEN YOUR WRONG which is “ALL THE TIME”… sad isnt it.

    • Flor, I would have vehemently reacted to your reply ten years ago. But I’ve mellowed and I take wrong predictions as part of the game (at least I got 11 of the Top 15 right). Either that or everyone else has supernatural powers of telling the future. 😀

      P.S. Miss Earth Guam this year is a beauty. 😉

      • Norman — Your predictions were great choices (too bad you weren’t part of the judges’ panel). Miss Japan’s win IS controversial. Had Miss Dominican Republic or Miss Brazil or Miss India won the title, I don’t think we won’t even be having this discussion about whether or not the winner deserved the title! And just to let you know that your informative pageant blog and your predictions are ALWAYS very much appreciated — regardless of the final outcome.

      • wow and now youve lessen your standard by thinking top 15 is good enough!!!!! youre a joke….!!!!! hey guys why dont we all predict who gets to be 4th runner up in miss universe this year? is that too high of a placing for you to predict? cuz like you said you can only do top 15! Norm any thoughts? any good thoughts? norm are you there? let me guess youre pulling for miss turkmenistan right? oh wait ….. she’s not even in it….: ( awh youre wrong again norman!!!!! thats too bad:(

    • Nagtatampo ko kay Kuya Norman, pero never in my wildest dream na magko-comment ako against Kuyang in a childish way. Kaya pag nakita kita Flor, I have list of 10 missions to fulfill, and here they are……….

      1. sasabunutan kita sa batok
      2.sasampalin kita ng padakot
      3.dudukutin ko ang dalawang mata mo at ipapasak ko sa dalawang butas ng ilong mo
      4.kukurutin ko ang jugular vein mo
      5.ila-liposuction kita, gamit ang host na panipsip ng pozo negro
      6.lalagyan kita ng tattoo sa tuhod
      7.bubunutin ko ang mga kuko mo sa paa
      8.tapos, tatanungin kita kung pwede ba tayong maging friends.
      9. at kung payag ka, i’ll be the happiest in the universe, kakain tayo sa jollibee
      10. finally, i’ll ask you if nasaktan ka ba sa mga ginawa ko, at kung oo ang sagot mo,ang sasabihin ko ay,,,hindi ko sadya, “I SO LOVE IT WHEN YOU’RE HURT, ALL THE TIME.’

      Boooooom!

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