In 2006, she made a decision to move to Paris and develop her career on an international level. Soon after that, Tao made her debut on the European runways, one of the few prominent East Asian models of that era.
Tao has worked in advertising and editorial projects. She has fronted campaigns such as Dolce & Gabbana with Mario Testino, Emporio Armani by Alasdair McLellan, Kenzo with Mario Sorrenti, and Tommy Hilfiger with Craig McDean. Editorially, she has shot for i-D Magazine, V Magazine, W Magazine, and various international editions of Harper's Bazaar and Vogue.
Okamoto has modeled for Alexander McQueen, Alexander Wang, Burberry Prorsum, Bottega Veneta, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Donna Karan, Emanuel Ungaro, Fendi, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Hermès, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Kenzo, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Maison Martin Margiela, Max Mara, Miu Miu, Moschino, Paul Smith, Phillip Lim, Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tommy Hilfiger, Vivienne Westwood, Yves Saint Laurent and more.
Acting
In 2013, Tao made her film debut as Mariko Yashida, opposite Hugh Jackman, in The Wolverine. In October 2014, it was announced that she had joined the cast of Hannibal as Chiyoh, Hannibal Lecter's family servant. In January 2015, it was announced that Tao would star in the film Crossroads with Alodia Gosiengfiao. In 2015, Tao appeared in The Man in the High Castle as Betty Kasoura, wife of lawyer Paul Kasoura and a customer at Robert Childan's American Artistic Handcrafts. In 2016, Tao played Mercy Graves in the film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.