Basically, you have to be able to prove you have the guaranteed income to support yourself.
Freelance is pretty much ruled out as the income is not guaranteed. With a company, there is a set salary - and even then you`ll have to have been working there for a while to prove that it`s a steady position with no chance of not providing enough.

Sounds good Josh..

Do you have any work lined up?

Honestly, I would give the JP embassy a call in Sydney.. Even better if you live nearby to pop in and drill them on what you need and can get.

I feel your position so just chipping in a little here with not able to offer much help..

Good luck and I hope you get their soon:)

I don`t know exactly what you mean by "multiple companies". You always have the option of quitting a company and going to another, not matter what the visa is and who is sponsoring you. They can`t "revoke" the sponsorship once you have the visa - they can just refuse to continue sponsoring you.

You don`t need a sponsor if you`re doing self-sponsorship. You`re your own sponsor.

Usually people who sponsor themselves have their own company, and 99% of the time it`s an English school. Having a number of jobs is a hard one to guarantee income from as some of those jobs could be cancelled at any time.

not knowing exactly how a self-sponsor visa works, i had a friend, or still have for that matter, that sponsored herself here in japan. however, she did this after having been here for a number of years, less than ten but more than three years.

It sounds like self-sponsorship is something you apply for after you've established yourself as a successful alien in Japan. Not something you apply for to gain your initial entry into Japan.

Self-sponsorship is pretty much limited to people who have lived and worked in Japan for some time. When self-sponsoring yourself for a visa, you have to show proof of income, usually via tax receipts.

For those who are self-employed seeking to live in Japan, you'll have to apply for a business/investor visa. In order to qualify for this visa, you'll have to demonstrate that you have enough money/income to support yourself during your stay.

Your best bet is to come on a WHV, and see what kind of work you can do/find. With luck (and an improved economy) you should be able to find something which will open the door for you to sponsor yourself later on.