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MISS EARTH JAPAN
KILALI OSHIRO
DESCRIBE YOUR CHILDHOOD/GROWING YEARS
Every year, I had a nature experience with my family at a facility called "Aburamu no Sato" in Gifu Prefecture. We enjoyed living in the forest deep in the mountains and planting rice. In during the winter vacations, touching snow, which never falls in Okinawa, and eating snow shaved ice in the facility. I had gone to Iriomote island, which was registered as a World Natural Heritage site in 2021 and I had the experience of climbing mountains and bathing in waterfalls on Iriomote Island. For me, it was natural to play in nature, and I learned many things from nature. In particular, I learned there are new discoveries ahead of taking action.
WHAT IS YOUR MEMORABLE MOMENT?
It is the moment I became Miss Earth Japan. Because it was a big step closer achieving my dream of communicating the beauty of my hometown, Okinawa, to the world.
ANY SPECIAL STORIES OR FACTS ABOUT YOUR FAMILY?
We are an athletic family. My parents and sisters are PE teachers, and we have been familiar with sports since I was a little. We are also an international family, with each family member traveling the world and I have a brother-in-law who is Mexican.
WHAT IS THE MOST UNUSUAL THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE?
Being a university student in Tokyo, living far away from Okinawa. I can only go to the beaches in Okinawa, which I used to visit often, about once a year now. However, I feel that this life makes my love for Okinawa stronger.
WHAT TIPS CAN YOU SHARE TO PROMOTE ECOTOURISM & CLIMATE CHANGE?
Okinawa has one of the most developed tourism industries in Japan. The best way to achieve this would be to incorporate environmental conservation for tourists into all tours in Okinawa. This would provide a learning experience for tourists while protecting Okinawan natural and cultural resources.
WHAT MAKES YOU PROUD OF YOUR COUNTRY?
Diversity of nature makes me proud of Japan. It is because the Japanese archipelago extends from north to south, each area offers a unique natural environment that can be enjoyed only there.
WHAT IS YOUR ADVOCACY?
My advocacy is to protect the oceans of Okinawa, which I love so much. Global warming is causing the temperature of the ocean water to rise, and the coral reefs that are the symbol of the Okinawan Sea are decreasing. If coral disappears, the fish that live in coral reefs and the clear emerald green ocean and white sandy beaches of Okinawa will not exist. To protect coral, we must stop climate change. To do this, it is necessary to reduce CO2 emissions, which are the cause of global warming. I realized that forests and woodlands where trees gather, including corals that photosynthesize, are very important. Therefore, even though I live far from Okinawa, I will continue my environmental conservation activities for the ocean, the rivers, mountains, and forests that are connected to the ocean I love.