When this housewife from Nagoya, Japan, first submitted her photos to a fashion magazine four years ago, she didn't expect that she'd turn into a celebrity.

The magazine was on the hunt for models.

In a short e-mail interview with The New Paper on Sunday, she admits that she's awed by the attention she gets, even till today.

Ms Masako Mizutani, who turns 44 in September, says: "I joined the contest just for fun. I didn't think I'd make an impression because there were so many beautiful Japanese women."

But her picture stood out among the thousands of photos sent in and the judges were taken aback when they checked her age.

She says: "I think they just didn't expect it."

She became an instant hit after she was invited to share her beauty secrets on a Japanese television show.

Ms Mizutani finds it amusing that she's been called "Japan's Lady of Eternal Youth".

"I didn't think it was really a big deal. It's a woman's duty to take care of herself."

She declines to discuss her family, adding that she wants to protect their privacy, particularly since her daughter is 20 years old. She also has an 18-year-old son.

Ms Mizutani says: "The sudden spotlight was initially overwhelming. We didn't feel comfortable that people were curious to know what my daughter looks like."

Following the TV programme, she found herself invited to beauty events and talk shows.

"I felt really honoured," she says.

She was also approached to host a blog to share beauty tips, which she agreed to without hesitation.

Says Ms Mizutani: "If not for my fans and all the supporters, I don't think I'd step out into the public eye."

Read the full story here.