contract agencies / freelance agencies / castings
It is illegal for a foreigner to work in Japan, unless he or she has a proper working visa. Japan is famous for their tough passport control and have little remorse turning a traveller around if they suspect any foul play. Here's a look at the most common visas foreigners enter Japan with, and what is required to play the game by the rules. Read this section carefully and don't take any unnecessary risks, it's simply not worth it. For a detailed look at the Japanese visa system please visit "A guide to Japanese Visas." Also, contact the nearest Japanese consulate or embassy in your area for more info. 
When a model, dancer, singer, actor and other forms of "entertainment" type jobs is sponsored by an agency, the visa issued is called an entertainer visa. For models, it is normally a 3 month visa, with a possible extension of an additional 3 months IF another contract is drawn up. Since most models rarely stay over 3 months (but not uncommon at Arts C!), this is rarely applied for. There is no limit, to the number of entertainer visas allowed for any one person to receive. Stories of some models, over a few years, coming as many as 16 times are not unheard of. (Hey, if the model works well, why not!) It is the standard visa for models, but impossible to get unless an Japanese modeling agency is willing to sponsor you (ie. draw up a contract with a guarantee). 
This is a wonderful visa IF you are a citizen of Canada, Australia or New Zealand. As taken from The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan... "The Government of Japan signed Working Holiday agreements with the Government of Australia on December 1, 1980, with the government of New Zealand on July 1, 1985, and with the Government of Canada on March 1, 1986. The Working Holiday programmes aim to promote greater understanding between Japan and the other three countries and to broaden the international outlook of their young people. Under the programmes, citizens of Australia, New Zealand, and Canada can enter Japan, and vice versa, for an extended holiday while engaging in part-time or full-time work to supplement their travel funds." In other words, if you are from one of these three countries, between the ages of 18 and 30, you can work and travel legally in Japan with this visa. It is important to note that this is a one-time visa, good for 6 months (with an almost automatic extension of another 6 months if desired) and re-applications are not permitted. Working Holiday visa holders can engage in any kind of job, as long as their stay is deemed to be primarily a holiday in Japan. (How anyone could possibly deem whether your stay is primarily for holiday or not is beyond me but those are the rules!) Almost everyone under this visa arrives to Japan with the intention of working and travelling "a bit." Just don't tell any immigration officer that. Canucks, Aussies and Kiwis should take full advantage of this visa! It not only enables you to model, teach, whatever, during the day but also work at night if you so desire. Although the visa does not permit work in nightclubs and dance halls, it is very, very rarely enforced. Certainly a nightclub owner would be much more willing to hire someone with a working holiday visa over those with illegal tourist visas. Please go to "The Working Holiday in Japan Programme" page to get the full scoop on this visa. 
If your intention is to visit the country or visit someone in the country, this is the one you need. Tourist visas allow the traveller 90 days to tour Japan. (Which is definitely ample time to wipe out anyone's travel budget!) It is strictly illegal to work under this visa, and the penalties include being thrown out of the country (with a probable ban on ever returning) and at times assessed a large fine to boot. Despite the hefty price one pays if discovered working illegally, girls and guys continue to enter Japan with this intent. Dumb, dumb, dumb! Many go for the first time to stay with a friend, get a job working at night and after their 90 days are up, they depart the country (as required by law) only to return a couple days or weeks later and continue working. It doesn't take a genius to realize that spending a full 89 or 90 days, only to return a short while later, simply screams out to the visa officials that the person is not back to "visit" the country. Tourist visas are scrutinized very closely, and they are only getting tougher on would be violators. 
For those interested in studying Japanese full-time in a private school, with the ability to work while doing so, this is the ticket. It permits the student to stay for periods of 6 months and 1 year. Fully renewable, it just requires that one enrolls full-time with a particular school and attend a certain percentage of classes taught. This is one way of getting a proper visa, but a rather expensive one at that. But for those interested in the language, there is no substitute. For more info on student visas it would be best to contact your nearest Japanese consulate or embassy. |