Japan's modeling industry is quite secretive. Information is hard to come by and not too many models talk about its dark side. Working in the industry for over 4 years, I'm here to spill its darkest secrets, but I'm sure even I don't know them all. I'm not talking about the dangers of the industry (Japan is a relatively safe place, but a model should always think of safety when meeting strangers), but about the corruption that lies within the business and its profit-making strategies that take advantage of models who are new to the market or those seeking the label of a model.
There are two agency types in Japan: freelance and proper modeling agencies. I'll be speaking from the perspective of a freelance model in Japan, so I cannot speak for those who work with an agency, but judging by their portfolios, I can say the work is scarce in Japan, and here's why.
Model Overstock:
Scrolling through the freelance model sites, there was a large number of models that clients could choose from with a wide selection of looks. This is great! Models are given the chance to pursue their dreams, but what's the problem with this? There's 1 job, and only 1 model gets chosen. Your chance of getting a job is much harder. There are only a few things that set you apart from the competition, and that is usually height and measurements, and of course, skill and experience, but unfortunately, most clients don't choose by experience in Japan, and half the time, not even by measurements! Most of the time I went into a model job they were surprised by my height, thinking I was shorter, but they'd chosen me from my comp card which has the measurements on it... Rarely was I chosen based on experience, and most of the time never asked about it. It's a great opportunity for models just starting to be accepted easily into the industry, but in the long term, after you've established yourself, you are competing with so many other people that the need for experienced and professional talent has almost become sadly irrelevant.
A Huge Pay Cut:
I've applied and talked with many, if not most, of the Freelance agencies in the greater Tokyo area. The first and the worst thing I discovered is that all agencies take 60% to 50% of your pay when in usual business they should take no more than 20%. That is a huge pay cut! And yet, no one has said a thing, and guiltily I too had signed with a freelance agency because there was just no other way.
So why sign with a freelance agency? It's simple. How else do you find work in a language that isn't your own? How do you audition for the big companies? How do you avoid the various scams in Japan's fashion industry? What if you don't fit Japan's beauty standards? It's not something I wanted to do, but it was a way to access clients that I had no other way of getting to when language was the main barrier and official model agencies refused to look at my application because of my "expiration date" in their marketing standards (aka my age). I received about three jobs per year, while other models received none to over 15 jobs. Ok. So, it's great to at least get the jobs they are offering, but hold on... exactly how much am I getting paid and what do they provide?
Corrupted Job-Offers:
High-end brands offering jobs for commercials, photoshoots, and more (including Tokyo Fashion Week) are all guilty of underpaying their models. Some paid as little as $100 per job. Now, I will admit that some do pay more towards $1,000 (which should be the usual in the industry), but most of them stuck to a very low pay for the models.
A prime example would be Tokyo Fashion Week in Japan. The highest amount of money I was offered was $150 for the entire event. If I didn't pass the model audition, I wouldn't get paid, which makes sense, but let's take a look from a business perspective. $150 to cover the costs of the audition, a separate fitting day, and the day of the show which is an all-day event. That was at least three days for $150, not including transportation, and all of them on a weekday. So, if you have another job, minus the costs of those missed days too. That's a lot of expenses and not enough income to cover the basics. If that's low, then what is reasonable?
There are many factors that are considered when arranging a business agreement, but just to give you an idea... A local college fashion show is around $250 and upwards including an audition, sometimes fitting day, and show day. A higher-end fashion school is $1,000. But this detrimental trend is everywhere, not just in Japan. Each one gives the same excuse. They are allowing you to gain exposure, have the designer's name on your resume, and hope that you'll be noticed by other clients. You may be able to get connections through those jobs, but the chances of finding a paid job from it is a very low percentage.
This is not how you want to run your modeling career as a long-term business.
So, what's the downside of taking a $100 job from a high-end brand as a starting-out model? Working for fashion shows is fine, but taking on a brand can cost you a lot in the future. Once you model a brand (such as shoes, makeup, skincare, etc.) most likely you cannot model for another brand of similar products possibly your entire lifetime. So that means you've sold your image and the possibility for better for less than $100. Was the experience worth the loss of opportunity? Most models don't know until it's too late.
Why There's No Change:
You may be wondering why the system is so bad, and that is because of the lack of knowledge that new models have when they come to Japan. They don't care how much they get paid or are unaware of the fair payment they should be receiving. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do about this system because of those participating in it are accepting the work and companies are always looking for ways to save money. But all hope isn't lost!
What Can We Do?
For now, I can only suggest two important things:
Be selective in which brands you model and make sure you get paid really well. Also, check to see if there is a binding contract to that job saying you can't model the same type of products.
Don't be shy to refuse jobs that cause you to lose money. Set a standard for yourself. A model isn't just a pretty face, but we are the CEO of our own company. Be strict and don't settle for less. Consider each job a transaction that affects your future and that of future models.
In the next blog article, I'll be talking about ways to start your business (successfully!) in Japan, and possibly elsewhere, as a model so that you can get the pay you deserve while gaining experience and most importantly, enjoying modeling.
In the meantime, here are some other blogs to help get you started!
First Steps in Becoming a Professional Model: https://www.jossalyntori.com/post/first-steps-to-becoming-a-professional-model
How to Become a Freelance Model:
Photo Credits:
Cover photo -
Photographer: Julian on Instagram @carved_duck
Blog Article Photos:
by Wix
The more you know! Thanks for writing such an interesting article, and for explaining the numbers to back your information. Moi bueno, sehr gut.