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Labor Group: Animators in Their 20s Earn US$11,600 a Year (Updated)

posted on by Egan Loo
JAniCA holds symposium to address low salaries, dwindling talent pool

A symposium was held in Tokyo last Friday on the working conditions of the anime industry in Japan. The Japan Animation Creators Association (JAniCA), a labor group established by directors, animators, and other animation staffers, held the symposium to discuss the results on its survey on the workplace. According to the symposium, young anime staffers in their 20s earn an average annual salary of just over 1 million yen (US$10,500), and the industry is not training a big enough talent pool for its needs.

The survey received responses from 700 animators and directors. Staffers in their 20s earned an average annual salary of 1.1 million yen (US$11,600), and staffers in the 30s earned an average annual salary of 2.14 million yen (US$22,600). JAniCA had previously said last year that there are veteran creators in their 40s and 50s who are getting by on 3 million yen (about US$31,000) a year. JAniCA also said in 2007 that 20% to 30% of all animators earn an annual salary of 1 million yen (US$10,500).

47 percents of the current survey's respondents did not have an employment contract with an anime production company. 38% have never received a physical checkup for health. The symposium's panelists noted that the anime industry reached its peak three years ago, and the future of the anime industry is uncertain because the industry is not training enough young talent in the current working environment. The symposium concluded by advocating more collaboration with the production companies to improve the working conditions of staffers.

Source: NHK News

Images © Japan Animation Creators Association

Update: The symposium was held at Tokyo University. Toyoo Ashida (the director of Vampire Hunter D and the first movie and second television series of Fist of the North Star) opened the event as JAniCA's current president. Other panelists included character designer Sachiko Kamimura (City Hunter, Black Jack, The Heroic Legend of Arslan), Tokyo University professor Yasuki Hamano, producer Kōji Takeuchi (Chiko, Heiress of the Phantom Thief, Cybersix, Lupin III: The Fuma Conspiracy), and JAniCA board member and lawyer Daisuke Okeda. Award-winning director Satoshi Kon (Paprika, Millennium Actress, Perfect Blue) gave the closing remarks.


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