An increasing number of Japanese ballerinas are appearing on the world stage and winning acclaim, but concerns are growing over the drain of young talented dancers away from Japan where many of them find it hard to make a living.

In February in Lausanne, Switzerland, Madoka Sugai, 17, won first prize in the prestigious Prix de Lausanne competition, which is regarded as a gateway to success for young ballerinas.

"I can't explain how much I like ballet," Sugai said at the Sasaki Ballet Academy in Yamato, Kanagawa Prefecture, in early April. "There were times when I thought of quitting ballet, but when I dance it surely gives me fun."