Modeling in Japan

I am a high school graduate male Caucasian American and speak conversationally fluent Japanese. I'm on good relations with my former host family in Japan from when I was an exchange student. I'm interested in going back to japan to pursue modeling. I've been reading up on work visas and the whole catch 22 of not being able to work in japan without a visa and not being able to get a visa without already being employed in Japan is fairly confusing. I heard that there might be a visa where my host family can sponsor me. Has anyone heard of this? Any advice on this or another route (entertainer visa etc) would be helpful (and 余計な rants on my naiveness or the impossibility of my task is not helpful)

Thanks

Clark,

Your host family can only sponsor you for a visa if they run a company that is able to employ you and guarantee you a minimum wage etc.
While it does sound a bit like a catch 22, you don't have to be employed to get a visa, but you do have to have an employer lined up who will sponsor you. It is possible to enter Japan on a tourist visa, look for work, and then switch to a work visa, although the 90-day tourist visa Americans get doesn't give you much time.

Clark,

Get your book squared away. Select agencies in Japan that you would like to work with. Set up a trip several months in advance.

Then you send the agencies a letter of introduction and a head shot. In your letter let them know when you are scheduled to travel so that they can set up an appointment if interested.

If an agency hires you, they can sponsor you. If you already work with an agency, find out if they have an office in Japan or if they can introduce you to an agent or agency in Japan.

In addition locate photographers that you would like to work with. Sometimes they will introduce you to the agency and get the ball rolling that way.

Other than that, if you do not have a job lined up, a working visa is not easy to get.

Tenshi