Can I live in Japan without knowing Japanese?

Question:

Can I go to college in Japan without knowing Japanese??? Or do I have to learn Japanese first and then go??? What do I have to do??? I don't have any relatives over there and I'm going alone so can I live there and would I earn enough by working part-time???

Answer:

You can get by, but it would be better learning some Japanese before heading over. A lot of people in major cities and tourist areas can speak and understand basic English. Big cities like Tokyo have lots of signs in English and most tourist can get around without too much difficulty. I would always recommend learning some Japanese as this will make your experience more enjoyable and a little bit easier.