MANILA, Philippines - Yoshinoya director Richard Yang welcomes some of the candidates to the recent 2013 Miss Earth beauty pageant during a visit to the Yoshinoya outlet at Robinson’s Galleria in Quezon City. The candidates enjoyed ‘gyudon’ or beef bowl and other popular Yoshinoya products, shared photo opportunities, and played parlor games. Joining Yang are (from left) Miss Gabon Fillane Maombo Kaundi, Miss Brazil Priscilla Martins, Miss Haiti Carolina Rinchere, Miss Germany Carolina Noeding, Miss Bolivia Maria Renee Carmona, and Miss Dominican Republic Maria Eugenia de los Santos. There are more than 1,200 outlets of Yoshinoya around the world, namely in Japan, United States, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and the Philippines. It will open in Thailand and Vietnam as part of its expansion program in Asia. Yoshinoya Century Pacific Inc. started its first store operation in the country in December 2001. In 2011, the Century Pacific Group inked a partnership with Ihahat Foods Corp. to expand the business under the new president, Timothy James Yang.