``So you want to be a writer, darling'' A Guide for Aspiring Freelancers in Japan

EXTRA!EXTRA!
REPORTING OPPORTUNITIES IN
JAPAN:
A Practical Guide
By Eric Johnston
Deputy Editor
The Japan Times
Osaka bureau
Japan Writers Conference
October 18th
, 2009

This presentation assumes. . .This presentation assumes. . .
 You have an interest in straight reporting
and writing news features on a wide variety
of timely events, as opposed to writing a
personal opinion column, doing book,
music, art, or restaurant reviews, or writing
up interview pieces.
 You have a love of, and preference for,
traditional print and broadcast media and
appreciate the traditional editorial methods

THE BASICSTHE BASICS
Getting Started: What All Successful FreelanceGetting Started: What All Successful Freelance
News Reporters in Japan Usually HaveNews Reporters in Japan Usually Have
 1) Bilingual business cards
 2) A Web page with their articles
 3) A bilingual PC.
 4) A cell phone capable of international calls

THE BASICSTHE BASICS
Getting Started: What All Successful FreelanceGetting Started: What All Successful Freelance
News Reporters in Japan Usually HaveNews Reporters in Japan Usually Have
 5) Easy access to a host of basic facts and
figures about Japan, including major on-line
daily news stories.
 6) A decent digital camera
 7) Receipt books and notebooks for
accounting purposes
 8) A local Japanese person who serves as your
``fixer’’, either paid or volunteer

PART IPART I
MAKING
CONTACT WITH
JAPAN-BASED
NEWS MEDIA

The Negotiation PhaseThe Negotiation Phase
 Length of stories –400 and 800 words on average, for a
news piece and up to 2,000 words for a magazine-style
piece.
 Rates: between 10,000 and 100,000 yen, depending on
publication, with payment in the 20,000-50,000 yen range
the norm for newspapers.
 Expenses: varies.
 Photos: Sometimes extra payment, sometimes not.

Sealing the DealSealing the Deal
 Japan’s English-language media rarely, if
ever, offer written contracts. Promises are
verbal.
 THE THREE BASIC QUESTIONS:

Sealing the DealSealing the Deal
 1) In addition to the basic rate for the
article, are travel and communication
expenses covered?
 2) What’s the rate for photos and is that rate
per published photo?
 3) Will the article by translated into
Japanese?

Japan ExtrasJapan Extras
 Make sure you have a list of all of your major
Japanese sources and contacts –especially
editorial contacts -- and send them New Year’s
Greeting Cards. Mid-summer greetings (a
postcard) should also be sent to high-level
sources who are older.
 If you can get an overseas publication to
sponsor you, apply for a Foreign Ministry
press card. It opens official doors that may
otherwise remain closed.

 Make sure you’re on the Tokyo Foreign Press
Center’s mailing list for important
announcements and all sorts of other stuff.

 IDENTIFYING YOURSELF IN JAPANESE:
 記者： Kisha: The literal translation is
``reporter’’, but the nuance is that you’re a
full-time news reporter for a mainstream
corporate media organization.
 特派員： Correspondent: Implies an ongoing,
formal, full-time professional relationship with
one media organization where you right about
or broadcast both news and feature-type
stories.

 フリージャーナリスト： The equivalent of
a freelance journalist, it implies you’re writing
or broadcasting for different media, on
assignment.
 ジャーナリスト： Slightly more scholarly in
nuance, implies you may be something of an
expert in one subject or another, and have,
perhaps, written books on that very subject.

IN GENERAL, EDITORS AT JAPAN’S ENGLISHIN GENERAL, EDITORS AT JAPAN’S ENGLISH
LANGUAGE NEWS MEDIA EXPECT THELANGUAGE NEWS MEDIA EXPECT THE
FOLLOWING FROM FREELANCERSFOLLOWING FROM FREELANCERS
 A good grounding in whatever subject they are writing about, but an
outsider’s perspective, not an activist’s perspective.
 An ability to take tired, clichéd Japan subjects and make them
interesting
 An ability to work alone with little direction
 An ability to turn last-minute, confused, contradictory requests from
the editors into a well written and well-researched piece that lands on
the editor’s desk on deadline and not one-minute afterwards
 An acceptance that the editor, not the freelancer, has the final say on
how the piece turns out.
 An ability to communicate on a regular basis what the freelancer is
doing, who else he or she is writing for, and a willingness to be honest
and open about possible conflicts of interest, either financial or
otherwise
 An ability to roll with the punches if and when ``cultural differences’’
arise between you and whatever Japanese editor or editors reviews the
piece.

PART IIPART II
MAKING
CONTACT WITH
OVERSEAS
MEDIA

FIRST, THE BAD NEWS. . .FIRST, THE BAD NEWS. . .
 The amount of general interest in Japan
among overseas media is the lowest it’s
been in decades.
 There is a surplus of experienced, talented
freelance news reporters who are fighting
for ever-fewer jobs.
 Those ever-fewer jobs pay less than in the
past.

Now, the Good News. . .Now, the Good News. . .
 Shrinking newsroom budgets worldwide
mean that editors are always looking for
ways to cut costs, which gives freelancers in
Japan an edge.

Now, the Good News. . .Now, the Good News. . .
 While Japan is declining in importance to
overseas media, Asia is still important to
most Editors. Successful Japan-based
freelance reporters travel as far west as
Afghanistan and as far south as Indonesia,
and are often in Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei,
or Seoul.

TWO COMMON WAYS FREELANCERS
IN JAPAN CAN FIND JOBS:
1) Keep an Eye Out for International
Conferences in Japan or
2) Keep an Eye Out for Visits by VIPs.
3) Research which foreign media might be
interested in that conference or visit, and
send each of them a letter of introduction
and a story pitch.

EXAMPLES:EXAMPLES:
YOU LEARN THAT THE GOVERNOR OF
THE U.S. STATE OF NEBRASKA IS
VISITING JAPAN
 Response: Contact the major newspapers in
Nebraska, offer to write stories with angles
that will not be covered by the wire services.
Contact magazines, trade magazines, or
newsletters devoted to beef or agricultural
issues, offer a feature on the state of Japanese
beef or agriculture and how it compares with
Nebraska, using the governor’s remarks as a
lead-in

EXAMPLESEXAMPLES
YOU LEARN THAT A LARGE
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
BIOTECH IS TAKING PLACE
 Response: Contact the Health and Science
Editors of Newspapers you think might be
interested in the issue, as well as magazines
and specialty publications that deal with
biotech. Explain the content of the
conference and ask if they’re interested in
either daily reports or a general feature.

GENERAL DO’S AND DON’TS FORGENERAL DO’S AND DON’TS FOR
BOTH LOCALAND OVERSEAS MEDIABOTH LOCALAND OVERSEAS MEDIA
DON’T:DON’T: Submit Story Ideas to Local Media in
Parituclar Without Knowledge of What
They Have Written on That Subject: The
first question I always ask a potential freelancer is, when
was the last time my paper ran an article related, directly
or indirectly, to that particular subject. If they can’t
answer, I hang up.
 Automatically Believe That You Have A
Unique Experience Worth Writing About:
``Hey, I’m an English teacher in Japan and I’ve got some
great stories about. . .Hello? Hello?’’

DON’T:DON’T:
 Assume That You Understand Japan Simply Because
You Read Overseas Media: Very often, the Japan-based
English language media see the Japan quite differently
(read: deeper and more realistically) than the overseas
media you grew up with. Newbies who pitch story ideas
that an editor who has been in country more than six
months knows are clichéd or superficial may wait in vain
for an answer.
 Pretend You’re a Japan Hand if You’re Not: Editors can
quickly tell if you can walk the walk as well talk the talk.
The good news? A lot of editors here are just as ignorant
of Japan as you are, or simply don’t care. Or, they value
your ability to B.S. and tell a good story over your
knowledge and experience in-country.

DON’T:DON’T:
 Remain Unable To Explain The Japan You
Do Know: Whether you’re a budding Japan Hand
with diverse intellectual interests, or an internationally
recognized academic expert in one field, the ability to
explain your topic in an interesting, concise manner for a
mass audience is crucial.
 Fail to Understand That, The Longer You
Are Here, The Better Your Instincts About
Japan Are Supposed To Be: Japan offers
foreigners in general the opportunity to remain
outsiders. This is a double-edged sword. If you’ve been
here for years, have poor language skills, and don’t have
a lot of general knowledge about Japan, you’ll be looked
upon as an amateur. Are you here in Japan, emotionally
and intellectually, as well as physically? If not, then
what, exactly, are you doing here?

DON’T:DON’T:
 Ignore Your Reputation: Some writers
believe they have to get their name out
there to anyone and everyone. But HOW
you get your name out and WHAT kind
of content your byline stands over marks
your reputation.
SO, BE VERY CAREFUL WHAT YOU PUT
YOUR NAME TO.

SO, WHAT SHOULD YOUSO, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?DO?
 Write The Odd Freebie: Some writers believe that,
once they’re established in Japan, they don’t need to
give anything away for free in order to succeed further.
Wrong. You are writing for a very small community
and opportunities from the editors in that community
and elsewhere who pay often come only after you’ve
shown you have an altruistic side .
 Keep Editors Posted on the Status of Your
Submissions: Let’s say that you’re shopping a piece to
several different outlets with the thought you’ll go with
the first one that says yes. Once you get that ``yes’’,
you need ask the publication that said ``yes’’ if they
have exclusive rights to your piece, or if it’s OK if the
piece appears elsewhere. If they have exclusive rights,
you need to immediately notify everyone else you sent
the piece to that such rights have just been purchased.

DO:DO:
 Make Sure All of Your Correspondence
With the Editors is in Writing: Especially on
terms of payment, and on issues like rewrites, photos,
travel expenses, etc.
 Visit The Editorial Offices Once In A
While, Just To Say Hello: In the Internet age,
it’s too easy to do all your work by computer. Some
freelancers see it as a waste of time to simply drop by for
a chat. But politically astute, i.e. gainfully employed,
writers know it can pay dividends to drop by the office
once in a while just to at least say hi and let the editors
know that there is a human being behind all of the e-
mails. Better yet, take a editor our for a beer, or coffee.

DO:DO:
 Know when to say ``No.’’
 Turning down assignments as a freelancer is quite
tough. But saying ``yes’’ to everything, or not taking
into consideration your reputation, is to go down the
path of the Dark Side. Some writers think that if they
do the crap, they’ll get the good stuff later out of
sheer loyalty. It doesn’t usually work that way. Those
who write about crap usually continue to get assigned
crap because nobody else with integrity wants to do
those kinds of stories. Sometimes, for your own
sanity, and your own reputation, you simply have to
say ``No.”

DO:DO:
 Join An Organization Where You Are
Likely To Make Contact With Different
Kinds Of People Involved in Local
Journalism:
Why? So you can learn which publications commission work
and give you plenty of time to get the copy in, edit that
copy well and after consultation with the writer, and then
pay on time the full amount owed for both the article and
expenses, and so you can learn which publications
commission work at the last minute, rewrite most of it
without telling you and add mistakes, and then fail to
send you a check or just pay you a fraction of what you
agreed to.

AND WHAT ABOUT LOCATION? Or DOAND WHAT ABOUT LOCATION? Or DO
I NEED TO BE IN TOKYO?I NEED TO BE IN TOKYO?
ARGUMENTS FOR BEING BASED IN TOKYO:
1) It’s the capital city where the most important
headline news is made and it’s very easy to
gather lots of stories of interest to editors.
2) It has a vast, efficient information
infrastructure that makes it quite easy to tap
into the English sources and find
opportunities, a big plus if your Japanese
language ability is poor.
3) Travel expenses within Tokyo are minimal.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST BEING BASED IN TOKYO
1) Everybody is in Tokyo and the big news is
usually covered by the Tokyo-based wire
services.

1) Major events of interest to editors now often
take place outside of Tokyo, especially here
in Kyoto. Tokyo is no longer the center for
many conferences where freelancers in Japan
often get work.
2) If you’re living outside of Tokyo, you’re
lifestyle is probably cheaper, which means
you can offer slightly lower rates than
Tokyo-based freelancers.

Exercise : Covering a conferenceExercise : Covering a conference
 Situation: An international conference on fish, chips, and mushy peas is
taking place in Stockholm and an NGO has offered to pay your way in exchange for
covering it, but they don’t want to give you an NGO badge. Rather, they want you to
get a press badge. And they you want to write about the conference not just for their
NGO newsletter, but also their blog.
 QUESTION:

Exercise : Covering a conferenceExercise : Covering a conference
 When you approach other media asking
about doing stories at the conference, do you:
 (a) explain what you’ll be doing for the NGO
that is paying your way; or
 (b) not say anything because, after all, the
NGO has nothing to do with the media
you’re approaching, and, besides, what you
write for the NGO will be different from
what you write for any media

CORRECT ANSWERCORRECT ANSWER
:
 (a) Most editors will not care if they are
told, but will be extremely angry if they are
not told that your way is being paid by an
NGO. Some media companies have in-
house rules about how what kinds of
payment freelancers can accept, and you’re
getting yourself blacklisted if you they hire
you and then find out what you’ve done.

Next, you approach three media to ask forNext, you approach three media to ask for
press credentials:press credentials:
 (1) The Tokyo Times, an English-language daily paper available primarily in Japan;
 (2) The West Japan Journal –a monthly magazine available primarily in all cities west of
Kyoto;
 (3) The Alleghany Kiski Valley Star & Ledger – a weekly magazine available only in
northern suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
 You get the following replies:
 ``We can’t give you press credentials, but pitch us story ideas every day during the
conference. If we like any of your ideas, we’ll ask you to write a 600 word feature story for
25,000 yen and pay for the story plus any necessary expenses.’’ –The Tokyo Times
 ``We’ll give you press credentials. You need to blog for us, but we can’t pay you for that. You
don’t need to file anything for the print edition, though, until after it’s all over and we’ll pay
1,000 yen for 1,000 words,’’ –West Japan Journal
 ``We can’t get you press credentials or pay your expenses. But, if you go, we would like a
story a day, maximum 400 words, and we’ll pay you 40,000 yen/article,’’ –The Alleghany
Kiski Valley Star & Ledger
SO WHAT DO YOU DO?

Suggested Response:Suggested Response:
 Immediately agree to work for the West
Japan Journal –they are the only one of the
three who will sponsor you for a press badge.

Suggested Response:Suggested Response:
 During the conference, blog for the Journal
and the NGO paying your way. When that’s
done, pitch story ideas to the Tokyo Times.
 Keep the Star & Ledger updated during the
conference with short e-mails. After the other
assignments are out of the way, pitch them
story ideas. Mention what you’ve done for
The Tokyo Times and the Journal.

At the Conference. . .At the Conference. . .
HOW TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF TO
INTERVIEW SUBJECTS AND AT PRESS
BRIEFINGS:
 As an NGO representative? After all, they
are paying for your flight and hotel rooms
and you are contributing to their newsletter
and blog every day.
 As a freelance journalist writing for a
variety of publications? After all, your press
badge will identify you as being with the
West Japan Journal?

ANSWERANSWER
 This can be tricky. Your most prominent
writing is for an NGO but you don’t have an
NGO badge. Sometimes it’s easier to get
access if you’re with an established NGO
rather than being an anonymous ``freelance
journalist’’ writing for publications like the
West Japan Journal that nobody at the
conference has ever heard of.

ANSWERANSWER
 SUGGESTED RESPONSE: Tell the NGO that
sends you you’re going to introduce yourself
as ``a freelance journalist writing for a number
of overseas publications and NGOs.’’ Get
business cards for the conference identifying
yourself as a freelance journalist, but with the
logos of each of the three media, as well as the
NGO, printed beside your name.

The Tokyo Times The West Japan JournalThe West Japan Journal
The Allegheny Kiski-Valley Star & Ledger,
Peace for Peas! (NGO)
Eric Johnston
Freelance Journalist
MY KEIMUSHO Bldg. 2F
8-9-3 Nomachi
Osaka, Japan 550-0002
TEL: 81-6-666-6666
FAX:81-6-666-6666
Cell Phone: (0)80-8867-5309
Cell e-mail: ehj2br02b@doconimo.jp
E-mail: crazyhack@yahoo.com

HOW TO IDENTIFY YOURSELFHOW TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF
IN PRINTIN PRINT
 Answer: You need to tell each of the three
media organizations that you’re on assignment
for them and under what conditions, and state
your preference for a title. But how they
decide to identify you is up to them.
By Eric Johnston, Special to The Tokyo Times
By Eric Johnston, Special Correspondent
By Eric Johnston

Odds & SodsOdds & Sods
 ON KILL FEES:
 Japan’s English-language media, and many
overseas media, sometimes pay kill fees but
only if they’ve given you an assignment.
Check and see.
 ON PHOTOS:

Odds & SodsOdds & Sods
 If you’re a wordsmith, you are also likely
expected to be a photographer. Photos are
always extra, and the rate depends on the
publication. Among Japan’s English-language
media 2,000 yen -10,000 yen/photo seems to
be the range.
 ON VIDEO REPORTS
: This is a brave new world, and it’s still fairly
rare that print journos who are freelance will
asked to file video as well. But check and see

In ConclusionIn Conclusion
 Making it as a freelance reporter in Japan is
not easy, but it’s not impossible. A curiosity
about many different subjects, a good
general knowledge of Japan, and an ability
to navigate the system and deal with all
sorts of people here are critical components
of success.

In ConclusionIn Conclusion
 ``Writers are solitary beasts. Reporters are
social animals.’’
 It is better to position yourself as a ``Japan-
based’’ reporter who is willing to cover
events outside of Japan, in East, South, or
Southeast Asia than as a Japan-hand.

``So you want to be a writer, darling'' A Guide for Aspiring Freelancers in Japan

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``So you want to be a writer, darling'' A Guide for Aspiring Freelancers in Japan