A week today and the 10 finalists in this years Miss Universe Japan contenst will take the stage hoping to represent Japan later in the year and Miss Universe 2008.

Since attending Miss Nippon 2008 i had kept a close eye on the calendar in the lead up to next weeks event. Not close enough by the looks of it and it seems ticket sales closed yesterday. I have someone on the job as i write this and i’m still a hopeful starter at next Thursdays event, fingers crossed.

Since its founding in 1998, the Miss Universe Japan pageant, run by acclaimed French national director, Ines Ligron. It has achieved the impressive result of having three top 5 finalists and one winner at the Miss Universe pageant within a short span of 9 years.

Ines Ligron was catapulted to the international spotlight when Riyo Mori won Japan’s second Miss Universe crown in Mexico in 2007.