In a contest tainted by protests, a banned dress; a floor tumble and the withdrawal of one beauty queen on the grounds of the pageant degrades women, a Miss Japan was for the second time ever, crowned Miss Universe 2007 Monday night.Mori, 20, the 56th and second Japan winner of the title, was given her $US250,000 diamond-and-pearl crown by last year’s winner, Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico, watched by a live audience of 10,000 and some 600 million television viewers worldwide.
Miss USA Rachel Smith, who slipped and fell to the floor during the evening gown competition and was jeered by the Mexican audience during the interview phase because as what they saw as US unfriendliness towards illegal immegrants, was the contest’s fourth runner-up.
Miss Sweden, Isabel Lestapier Winqvist, unexpectedly pulled out of the event because of complaints in her country that it degrades women.






















