Japan's Kinuko Ito, who placed 3rd at 1953 Miss Universe, dies at 90

Kinuko Ito, a Japanese former model and actress who won third place at the 1953 Miss Universe pageant and became synonymous with "Japanese beauty" in the early postwar period, has died, her family said. She was 90.The Tokyo native, whose real name was Kinuko Matsumura, died of heart failure at a Tokyo hospital on Feb. 14.Ito became Miss Japan in 1953 before going on to place No. 3 at the second Miss Universe contest held in the United States. She also had an acting career in movies but withdrew from the entertainment business following her marriage in 1968.She is survived by her husband Tom…READ FULL ARTICLE