[MMM]

I am confused. You are going to Japan in February to go to school, but you aren't enrolled in a school? You need to get enrolled into a school to get a student visa, otherwise you will only have a 90 day tourist visa, and no school is even going to consider enrolling you.

You need to find a legitimate exchange program. No apartment land-lord is going to rent an apartment to a minor, much less a foreign minor. With an exchange program you would likely be in a homestay. Schools aren't going to enroll a student without a parent or guardian, so, again, you need to find a program to go through.

You might also consider an International school to attend, especially if you plan on graduating there (remember, Japanese schools go April to April). I am not sure what you mean about having a translator to get by, but if you aren't fluent in Japanese you aren't going to be able to graduate from a Japanese high school. International schools teach classes in English (usually) and are filled with international students and Japanese students who can speak English. I know there is one in Kobe, and I am sure there are ones in Tokyo and other places.

I don't mean to be discouraging... I think this is a great dream, and certainly do-able, but you just need to go through the proper channels.

Good luck! Keep us updated!