Japan has the most beautiful women in the UNIVERSE...

More than one of my Japanese friends couldn't help but make sure I heard that Miss Japan won the Miss Universe competition held today in Mexico:

RIYO MORI

MISS UNIVERSE® 2007

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This evening, during one of the year’s most exciting live international television events, a star-studded panel of judges chose Miss Japan, Riyo Mori, as MISS UNIVERSE® 2007

Ms. Mori is 20 years-old and has been dancing since she was 4. She loves traveling the world and enjoys visiting museums and watching musicals.Her pre-competition profile is here. 

Do yourself a favor and don't watch her interview video (I think i probably would sound like I am not very smart if I was being interviewed in Japanese,  but still...) Needless to say she is pretty attractive.

Her evening gown looks nice, but i don't know about the national costume she chose:

I swearthis was the best photo I could find of the national costume!

Which is nothing compared to last year's Miss Japan!

Click for more photos and bio of 2006 Miss Japan (note: there actually was a picture of her in this outfit on a flyer posted in my bank in japan for like 6 months after this competition!)

Actually there are a lot of strange photos online, I gotta try to watch the replay of the event and see how it went down, it looks like lots of flubs, etc!

oops!

Zuleyka Rivera, Miss Universe 2006, left, looses control of the crown as she places it on winner Riyo Mori, Miss Japan 2007

              Miss USA Rachel Smith gets up after slipping during the evening gown competitionLastly: what a handsome couple:![](file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/RKAMAL%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-9.jpg)![Photo](http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070529/capt.966cdb535ada4e868790d9aec3347f64.mexico_miss_universe_2007_mogb136.jpg?x=248&y=345&sig=8KYDworzlKfsZxBr3FXvqg--)

lots more pictures here.

Update - there are clips on youtube now:

Final Decision and Crowning  (they cut away to a crowd shot when they drop the crown apparently?)

Miss Japan 2007 competition highlights - yikes a few scary ones in there.  why is purse carrying part of the competition? I guess that explains a lot...