I know why you’re here. You saw some random foreigner aggressively overreacting to an otherwise mundane Japanese product on a TV commercial and thought, “I could do that.” Well, I’ve got good news: you’re probably right. Japan’s television is absurd in the best possible way. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
But how do you get from where you’re reading this on your phone to on set, in costume, centered in front of the camera? Rest assured, you’ll be fully equipped to accomplish just that by finishing this article. But be warned—acting isn’t always as glamorous a profession as you might think.
And landing the job is often the easy part. Here’s a quick rundown on beginning your acting career in Japan.
Step One: Be in Japan and eligible to work
Make sure you have the right permit before applying for any acting jobs. Photo: iStock/ guruXOOX
I’ve seen many people asking online if they can apply to be an actor in Japan from their home country or if a Japanese talent agency will sponsor their visa. The answer is, almost without exception, no. To get started, you must already reside in Japan and possess a visa to hold a job. Unless you are already an established actor in your home country being specially brought to Japan for a role, these are unavoidable prerequisites.
Step Two: Join an agency
Join lots of agencies. There is no shortage of foreign talent management firms in Tokyo, and unless you sign an exclusive contract, you’re free to be represented by as many of them as you like. Different agencies tend to represent different jobs, resulting in the most opportunity for you. Registering is as simple as calling or emailing one of them to come in and complete the paperwork.
List of agencies
While not an exhaustive list, these are some of the foreign talent agencies I’ve had positive experiences working with:
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