[MMM]

I have never taken JPT1, but I have enough experience translating that it isn't necessary. I graduated with a BA in Japanese and then lived in Japan for three years in an almost 100% Japanese life (I didn't have many non-Japanese friends, partially by design, to make sure my Japanese would be strong). I even taught Japanese for a few years before getting into translating. (Which you aren't sure about now, so this really doesn't matter.) With a major in Japanese from a school with a very Japanese program and reputation, I don't think I would have wanted to attend Japanese college...or that I would have been able to...but that is just me, and it doesn't mean you will have the same experience.

I have never heard of people attending Japanese Universities after one year of language study, unless they are doing an exchange, and the classes they are taking are in English. I know Waseda has a program like this. International Universities or ones which teach classes in English may be something to consider. You have taken a lot of important things into consideration, but I think you are kind of forgetting the most important thing when you say you don't care what University you go to, as long as it is in a big city. Do all universities have Japanese majors? Do you really want to go to SCHOOL in Japan, or do you just want to live there. If you just want to live there, I would say wait until you graduate college, when you can have a full-time job, and not have to worry as much about doing your homework, writing essays and taking exams in a foreign language.