[MMM]

What are you looking for in the manga field? If you mean being an artist, I think all you need is an extreme amout of talent. But if you want to LIVE in Japan, you are going to need a visa, which requires sponsorship, which requires a degree.

There is no need for a publisher to sponsor an artist, because you can just as easily send your work in from a foreign country as you can from your home in Japan.

Now if you are talking about working in foreign licensing, then that's a different story...