[MMM]

You sound dedicated and motivated and have done some very thorough research.

Being fluent enough to attend college means being native fluent, and I think that is a pretty ambitious goal over the next four years, especially if you don't live in Japan. Although you are right, the hardest thing about Japanese colleges is getting in, you want to go to Osaka University, It's ranked number 3 for a reason.

Without a degree or passing JPT1 or a lot of translating experience, finding consistent translation work is going to be hard. $0.40 a word? That's what some companies charge for highly technical translations which include a translator and editor/proofer, but that's not a realistic number. $0.15 is more realistic, but I still am not sure how you plan to attend classes and do homework AND work 28 hours a week (but you're young and have more enery than me). Tutoring english is probably more lucrative, but 28 hours (plus travel time) is very ambitious. 3 or 4 hours a week is more realistic.

Just a couple things to think about...