Ayano Yamada to Challenge Miss Earth Crown

Those of you who follow beauty contests around the world probably know an annual international beauty pageant promoting "environment awareness". In fact this is one of the world' three largest beauty contests with Miss Universe and Miss World. Titleholders dedicate their year take part in school tours, tree planting drives, street campaigns and speaking engagements to promote the significance of global environment issues.

A charming young lady, Miss Ayano Yamada, from Kiryu, Gunma, represents Japan this year in this renowned beauty pageant. Miss Yamada, 24, is 1.75 meters tall and was among the finalists in last year's local contest in Japan for Miss Universe. Miss Earth contest this year is slated for November in Vienna, and Miss Yamada will compete with national candidates from approximately 80 countries.
Miss Yamada paid a courtesy call on Mayor Kameyama of the City of Kiryu August 10 and told the Mayor that she had received a lot of letters from her friends in Kiryu and that she would do her very best to promote not only environment awareness but charms of her home city Kiryu and the Prefecture of Gunma.

The Miss Earth winner is the spokesperson for the Miss Earth Foundation, UN Environment Program (UNEP) and other environment-related organizations.

The Miss Earth pageant celebrates diverse winners from different countries in terms of race, ethnicity, height, age, locality, tongues spoken, etc. By number of wins, the Philippines, Venezuela and Brazil top others with two crowns each, followed with one each by Czech Republic, Ecuador, India, Canada, Chile, Honduras, Kenya, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Canada.　The current Miss Earth is Jamie Herrell of the Philippines who was crowned on November 29, 2014.

Prior to the contest, Miss Yamada will participate for a month from December in various local environment-related events as Miss Earth Japan and on the last day will challenge the Grand Prix.