Mina (Japanese singer)

Mina was born on March 24, 1997, in San Antonio, Texas to Japanese expatriate parents Sachiko (née Terao) and Akira Myoi [ja].^[3] As a toddler, Mina and her family soon moved back to Japan, growing up in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, in the Kansai region of Japan.^[4][5][6] Her father is an orthopedic surgeon at Osaka University Hospital in Suita.^[7] She has one brother named Kai, who is five years older than her.^[8][9] Mina trained in classical ballet from the age of three and practiced it for eleven years.^{[10][5][11][12]} She then trained at a K-pop dance studio for a year before being scouted by JYP Entertainment.^[12][4][13] Mina attended Obayashi Sacred Heart School [ja] in Takarazuka, Hyōgo until 2013. In her second year of high school, she dropped out to become a trainee in South Korea.^[14][15][16]

In 2017, by virtue of birthright citizenship in the United States, it was reported at the time that Mina held dual Japanese and American citizenship.^[17] She gave up her American citizenship in 2019.^[1]

Since her debut, Mina has been recognized as one of Twice's strongest dancers along with Momo,^[5][11][22] both in South Korea and abroad.^[4][31] The Chosun Ilbo credits her popularity with helping improve relations between Japan and South Korea.^[4][31] In Gallup Korea's annual music poll of 2019, she was voted the 20th most popular idol in South Korea.^[32][33]

In early 2022, Mina was announced as the new muse of the South Korean luxury fashion brand Metrocity.^[34][35] In March of the same year, she was announced as the global brand ambassador of SK-II, a Japanese cosmetics brand.^[36][37][38] In August 2024, Mina was announced as the Japan ambassador of French luxury jewelry and watch house Boucheron.^[39] In January 2025, she was announced as the Japan ambassador of Italian luxury fashion house Fendi.^[40]