Getting Stared as Escort in Japan

[JohnnyWalker]

My friend F20 is currently working at a brothel in the USA and wants to come work in Tokyo to work as an escort or in a BDSM club.

Can anyone offer her some advice to get her in the right direction?

 

[TAG Manager]

She's welcome to show up and start working as an Escort, but without a valid status of residence, her time here would be short-lived.

Unless she's fluent in Japanese and has a valid working visa, she won't be able to work for a proper club.

However, Tokyo is kind of a dead market with a lot of the expat community having vacated Tokyo for Hong Kong, Singapore and other destinations.
Depending on her price point, unique skills, etc. She may or may not be able to make what she expects.

We don't get a lot of upscale visiting Escorts from other countries like we used to. There are just so many local, cheaper options for both Japanese and non-Japanese these days.

Anyway, keep in mind that living in Tokyo is expensive, especially if you want to stay close to popular areas where a lot of requests would come from.

I'd recommend her to get in contact with a local escort who's willing to answer questions on a more personal level.

 

[MikeH]

Can anyone offer her some advice to get her in the right direction?

Yeah, to be able to do that legally she needs a visa. The only two which I know would allow that kind of work are PR and spouse visa.

 

[Wwanderer]

Back in the bubble days, an enterprising young SW could make a mint in Tokyo while visiting for 90 days at a time on a tourist visa (visa regs were simply not enforced for the most part) and many did. The stories of easy bank still circulate in the West to some degree (gradually fading away), but the reality is long gone now.

Singapore is now somewhat like Tokyo once was, I hear...but there would be visa issues there too.

-Ww

 

[vondoom]

legal status never bothered anyone who did that... basically every woman i know who did working holiday in japan ended up in hostess clubs...
there have even been enough young women who found living the kabukicho lifestyle to be the best thing ever...
sure its illegal, but i dont think people who cant get another job really mind... i would even say the majority of escorts and so on is doing it illegal...

 

[JohnnyWalker]

I forgot to add, a working visa is not an issue for her. She also has a place to live in Tokyo.

All good advice. Thank you.

 

[vondoom]

how is working visa not an issue, when there is a) no redlight visa and b) at age 20 you probably dont have the qualifications for a visa anyway...

 

[MikeH]

how is working visa not an issue, when there is a) no redlight visa and b) at age 20 you probably dont have the qualifications for a visa anyway...

Two options: a) married to a Japanese and has the visa already and b) ready to work illegally on the 90 day visa waiver program.

 

[vondoom]

well thats what i said＾＾
i mean, nothing bad about it... but reality check sometimes help...
as mentioned, the people i know never had any issue with finding work at hostess clubs and so on... was about ten years ago, though...
also when i went to school here, nearly every woman was in some sort of those businesses...

 

[Wwanderer]

well thats what i said＾＾
i mean, nothing bad about it... but reality check sometimes help...
as mentioned, the people i know never had any issue with finding work at hostess clubs and so on... was about ten years ago, though...
also when i went to school here, nearly every woman was in some sort of those businesses...

Things have tightened up A LOT on visa enforcement in the last ten years. Still possible to get hostess and other such work without a proper visa but many fewer shops will risk it.

-Ww

 

[vondoom]

thats probably why a lot are doing it "in private"...

 

[JohnnyWalker]

Two options: a) married to a Japanese and has the visa already and b) ready to work illegally on the 90 day visa waiver program.

Or option #3 : married to an expat with a 5 year visa.

Although the intent of my question was not how she will get here, how she will stay here, or how she will eat here.

All valid concerns and questions, but the visa question is answered in many other places including the government website.

 

[MikeH]

Or option #3 : married to an expat with a 5 year visa.

Will get her the visa to get in but not the permit to work in the sex industry. Yes, you are correct; even this is answered in the government website.

 

[User#8628]

I forgot to add, a working visa is not an issue for her. She also has a place to live in Tokyo.

All good advice. Thank you.

Japanese language is the main issue. Japanese men are shy and it would be hard to pierce the Japanese market without language skills. Plus they like foreigners, but only a very specific type so if your friend is very tall or the American style "big" kind of person, she likely wont do very well here. She'd have to look non threatening.

If she doesn't have language skills, she can basically forget about having mainly Japanese clients or working for a Japanese shop. Posting here on TAG or on backpage would generally give her enough foreign clients to live off, i think.
Tokyo is a pretty good place to work overall. Very safe and friendly clients. I'd definitely much rather work here than in the US, even though it means a little less money.
But YMMV depending on what you look like.

 

[JohnnyWalker]

Will get her the visa to get in but not the permit to work in the sex industry. Yes, you are correct; even this is answered in the government website.

Correct, she will not have a visa that says she can work in a sex trade or any illegal activities.

 

[MikeH]

Correct, she will not have a visa that says she can work in a sex trade or any illegal activities.

I certainly would like to see a visa that allows you to participate in illegal activities. I wonder if they would limit you to 28 hours for a week or something similar.

Still again, only PR and spouse visas will let you legally work in the sex industry in Japan. Dependent visa will let you work as a part time after you apply for the permission but the sex industry is explicitly not allowed.

 

[JaquesAfrog]

Back in the bubble days, an enterprising young SW could make a mint in Tokyo while visiting for 90 days at a time on a tourist visa (visa regs were simply not enforced for the most part) and many did. The stories of easy bank still circulate in the West to some degree (gradually fading away), but the reality is long gone now.
-Ww

Yea... that worked so well for Lucie Blackman.

 

[User#8628]

legal status never bothered anyone who did that... basically every woman i know who did working holiday in japan ended up in hostess clubs...
there have even been enough young women who found living the kabukicho lifestyle to be the best thing ever...
sure its illegal, but i dont think people who cant get another job really mind... i would even say the majority of escorts and so on is doing it illegal...

well thats what i said＾＾
i mean, nothing bad about it... but reality check sometimes help...
as mentioned, the people i know never had any issue with finding work at hostess clubs and so on... was about ten years ago, though...
also when i went to school here, nearly every woman was in some sort of those businesses...

Yeah, probably 10 years ago.
Clubs in kabuki cho seem to not hire western women at all anymore. I knew someone on a spousal visa who speaks good Japanese who couldn't land a hostess job in kabuki cho. The district has became highly regulated, its not easy to pull off strictly illegal things. Plus appearantly some foreign girls in the past made a bad impression (not bringing in enough customers or doing their work properly) so shops are hesitant to hire them.

This doesn't mean foreign women cant be hostesses of course, but more likely to find work in Roppongi or in a more remote district with a lot of foreigner clubs (there was a place but i forgot the name).

 

[User#8628]

I certainly would like to see a visa that allows you to participate in illegal activities. I wonder if they would limit you to 28 hours for a week or something similar.

The purge visa.

Yea... that worked so well for Lucie Blackman.

Yeah, one girl died, a ton of others made bank.
If i could go back and try it myself, i would.

 

[Hofmeyer]

It needs to be stated outright I think, due to the prostitution laws a lot of things that are illegal in most countries isn't in Japan, therefore clubs/venues and other businesses actually have MUCH more incentive to operate in the legal free and clear. Your only option on a non-working visa is backpage and craigslist or shady shops that are already illegal to begin with.

The only spouse visa that has no restriction on work is the one you get from marrying a Japanese national. ex-pat spouse visas are part time work only afaik. The only other option is PR.

 

[TheScientist]

Maybe its that new Weeaboo Hopes & Dreams Visa I keep hearing about.

 

[Frenchy]

Ok guys he said no problem with the visa so whether it's true or not is not really the point of this thread , is it ? Everybody can take their risks as long as they understand the consequences , its their problem .

My advice would be : if she's really sexy , honest, fun, knows how to serve her clients well and make them feel comfortable , and can invest in half-decent pics and website (translated into Japanese , doesn't cost much more), then go the indie route starting with ads here and backpage if needed. There is ample room for competition.

She can add a profile in SA too , if she's willing to go the sugar way as well, to broaden her opportunities.

 

[TAG Manager]

Ok guys he said no problem with the visa so whether it's true or not is not really the point of this thread , is it ? Everybody can take their risks as long as they understand the consequences , its their problem .

We won't actively promote skirting the visa rules. Thanks.

My advice would be : if she's really sexy , honest, fun, knows how to serve her clients well and make them feel comfortable , and can invest in half-decent pics and website (translated into Japanese , doesn't cost much more), then go the indie route starting with ads here and backpage if needed. There is ample room for competition.

The bolded part, extremely ill-advised -- this is something that will draw instant attention from the wrong people. (and I don't just mean the legal type)

Everything is fair game, but don't go posting on SA if you're really going to be an escort.

 

[MikeH]

ex-pat spouse visas are part time work only afaik.

Well, ex-pat spouse visas don't exist, they are called dependent visas. The official name of the spouse visa is "Spouse or child of Japanese national".

 

[TAG Manager]

Well, ex-pat spouse visas don't exist, they are called dependent visas. The official name of the spouse visa is "Spouse or child of Japanese national".

I have it on good authority that there's a new visa in the works....
....a MikeH religious visa.