Dunno the levels for your university but you know, 9 months of japanese is only like not even 3rd year Japanese level, which is even lower level for going to Japan? I get what you say but isn't the recent nuclear disaster not a good time for it? Well I'm actually in Hong Kong right now. Originally family planned to visit Japan on the way back, but that's kinda cancelled now lol (back to north america by like thursday)
Also, Japan's a place I'll love to visit, but I'll rather be shot if I have to stay there to live. It's like, visiting there is breathing the legend but living there is shattering the Japanese dream~ Lifestyle, pace and reality of standard of living there is one scary place (got a cousin who taught there for a year and absolutely dreaded her life, transferred to another country ASAP)