Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo issued a public apology to several countries in Asia after a racist scandal involving a former Miss Finland and far-right politicians shook the government and damaged the country’s international reputation, particularly in Japan, China, and South Korea.

In statements released through Finnish embassies in those countries and written in their local languages, Orpo offered his “sincere apologies” for offensive social media posts shared by “individual members of Parliament.”

He stressed that the images contradicted the government’s core values of equality, inclusion, and respect.

“Racism and discrimination have no place in Finnish society. Politicians have a responsibility to set an example and to clearly condemn such behavior,” Orpo said, adding that the government collectively rejects these “offensive and inappropriate actions.”

Start of the conflict and diplomatic conflict?

The controversy began in late November when Sarah Dzafce, who had been crowned Miss Finland just months earlier, posted a photo on the social platform Jodel showing herself pulling her eyes into a slanted shape, accompanied by the caption “eating with a Chinese.” 

The image triggered widespread backlash, with many users denouncing it as racist toward Asian communities.

Instead of easing tensions, Dzafce intensified the backlash by posting a video from an airplane in which she mocked critics while flying business class. Following mounting pressure, the Miss Finland organization stripped her of her title and named runner-up Tara Lehtonen as the new winner.

The scandal escalated into politics when three members of the far-right True Finns party—MPs Juho Eerola and Kaisa Garedew, and MEP Sebastian Tynkkynen—shared similar images online. 

They claimed they were expressing solidarity with Dzafce and criticizing the beauty contest organizers, but their actions were widely condemned.

Finland’s Parliament addressed the issue, with all parties except the True Finns accusing the politicians of severely damaging Finland’s international standing. 

Eerola later apologized, while Garedew said she did not understand why she should do so. The party is now considering internal disciplinary measures.

The fallout extended beyond politics. Across Asia, social media users called for boycotts of Finnish products. Finnair acknowledged that the controversy harmed its image and operations in key Asian markets, particularly in Japan, where users urged travelers not to visit Finland or fly with the airline.

The episode has once again strained Finland’s governing coalition and reignited debate over racism in national politics, a sensitive issue since the far right joined the government in 2023.