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Women in Japanese porn get head jobs without acting
By Ryann Connell
November 9, 2004
"I studied sexuality during my postgrad course, so I've always had something of
an interest in working in a place where sex was always out in the open," Rui
Oda, a 25-year-old woman working in the porno industry, tells Spa!.
"My actual job is sort of like an assistant director, which means I prepare
props, check costumes and take care of the actresses. Caring for actresses of
the type who're fairly well known among men, I might put a bathrobe on them
between shots or prepare some mouthwash for them."
Oda is a first-year employee of SOD Create, an adult video production company
that is a full subsidiary of Soft-on-Demand, Japan's largest porn firm and the
only stick-flick maker listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
She's one of the burgeoning number of Japanese women in high-profile jobs that
don't have the glitz or the conditions that many may believe they have.
For all her efforts, Oda takes home only 260,000 yen a month, not a great wage
in the world's most expensive city, but better than many others just starting
out in the workforce.
She does, however, get bonuses that bring her annual wage up to about 3.5
million yen.
It takes a certain type of woman to be able to work in the blue movie biz, but
contrary to the less than pleasant image her industry may have, Oda says she's
delivering powerful blows for the female workforce.
"Any project ideas I have are given a priority lookover and we're treated well
because there're so few women in this field," she tells Spa! "Out on location,
men and women are treated equally and it's really fulfilling work."
In a country where karoshi, or death from overwork, has become part of the
national lexicon, Oda's conditions aren't too bad.
"If we work on weekends, I get weekdays off in lieu and I'm very satisfied with
my wage," she tells Spa!, adding that her company shuns the still widespread
practice of age-based salaries. "Our company's payment and promotion systems
are entirely merit-based, so there're people in supervisory positions even
after only a couple of years on the job."
Copyright 1999-2004, Mainchi Daily. All rights reserved. Ryann
Connell is a Staff Writer and Senoir Desk Editor for the Mainchi Daily News. No
content may be reproduced in whole or part without written permission.
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