Miss Japan Riyo Mori crowned Miss Universe 2007

Proving once again that Asian women are the world's most beautiful, 20-year-old Miss Japan and ballet dancer Riyo Mori wins this year's Miss Universe title. A raven-haired Riyo Mori was crowned Miss Universe 2007 on Monday night in Mexico city, winning the world beauty title for the second time for her country. The last time when Japan won the pageant was in 1959 when Akiko Kojima became the first Miss Universe from Asia.

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Mori, the 56th winner of the title, received $250,000 diamond-and-pearl studded crown by last year's winner, Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico. Dressed in a black, red and purple Japanese-style gown Riyo Mori nervously grabbed the hands of first runner-up, Natalia Guimaraes of Brazil, just before the winner was announced in front of live audience of 10,000 and 600 million-television viewers worldwide.

Donald Trump, who co-owns the pageant with NBC said,

She is an amazing champion, an amazing woman and I hear that they go totally insane in Japan, so that's good.

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Miss USA, Rachel Smith, who was jeered by the Mexican audience during the interview phase, slipped and fell on the floor during the evening gown competition, but the slip didn't stop her earning the fifth place in the contest. Smith endured a handful of Mexican public's disapproval because of her country's unfriendliness attitude toward Mexicans living there. Also finishing in the top five were second runner-up Ly Jonaitis of Venezuela and third runner-up Honey Lee of Korea.

Mori, daughter of a dance school operator from the small town of Shizuoka at the base of Mount Fuji, won the applause of the Mexico City audience when she opened her interview, saying

Hola, Mexico! I learned how to always be happy, be patient and to be positive, and this is what I want to teach to the next generation.

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Mori, who wants to someday open an international dance school in Tokyo, said that her grandmother wanted her to be Miss Japan before she turned 20. After winning the contest, she said,

Right now I am only 20 years old, so I'm really excited about what I'm going to be able to do at this age to benefit society.

Did you found something missing in this year's Miss Universe Contest? Yes, it's Miss Sweden Isabel Lestapier Winqvist, 20, whose country is one of the few to win the crown three times, withdrew from the pageant earlier this week over her problematic image in recent months and many Swedes complaining the competition airing from Mexico City's National Auditorium, does not represent the modern woman.

In another snag, Miss Mexico was also made to change her outfit for the regional dress contest after her original dress, decorated with brutal images of rebels in a 1920s religious uprising being hanged or shot, was condemned for poor taste.

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The top five finalists of the contest are:

1. Riyo Mori- Miss Japan

2. Honey Lee- Miss Korea

3. Natalie Guimares- Miss Brazil

4. Rachel Smith- Miss USA

5. Ly Jonaitis -Miss Venezuela

The winner will travel around the world for a year on behalf of charities and pageant sponsors.

The celebrity judges included actor James Kyson Lee, model Lindsay Clubine, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, rocker Dave Navarro, Olympic figure skating champion Michelle Kwan, celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves, fashion designer Marc Bouwer, 'Project Runway' judge and Elle magazine fashion director Nina Garcia and former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres.

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