Japan's mascot contest to end amid fierce rivalry among entrants
by Justin McCurry in Tokyo from on (#58T73)
Yuru-kyara competition lost original purpose' after aggressive campaigning by prefectures
A cuddly fairy on a mission to deliver happiness" to her disaster-hit hometown has been crowned Japan's most popular mascot, but unseemly rivalry among competitors has forced organisers to announce that this year's contest would be the last.
Takata-no-Yumechan defeated almost 400 other yuru-kyara - gentle characters" - to take the title at the mascot grand prix in the north-eastern prefecture of Iwate on Sunday, narrowly beating Yurunakin, a dog mascot from Osaka prefecture, and Tsurugon, a dragon-like character from Saitama prefecture.
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