Japanese model Malia becomes grandma at 40

She’s 40 and fabulous… and a grandma.

Japanese model Maria Shinbo, who is known for having a great figure, recently shared a photo of herself on social media holding a newborn and declared: "My first grandchild is here."

Shinbo, who is better known as Malia, got married at 18 and has four children – three sons and a daughter.

Her eldest son is 21 and a professional football player, and her youngest is five. 

Many of those who saw her post at first thought she had given birth to another child. Some even wondered which of her kids the newborn belonged to.

But the model, who is of mixed parentage, chose to keep that secret.

Nonetheless, her followers heaped congratulations on her, even though several of them said they "can’t believe she’s a grandmother".

Shinbo, who has appeared in many Japanese variety shows, has been married and divorced four times.

Her former husbands are footballer Hayuma Tanaka, mixed martial artist and kickboxer Norifumi Yamamoto, footballer Yuhei Sato, and ex-footballer and model Maito Santos.

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