Hi Lonewolf and hi again Sachikoxx!!
Yes, lots of my friend from China and South Korea come to Japan with none to little of Japanese, apply for Japanese Schools (Nihongo Gakko), learn Japanese for about two years, and then go to university.
However, I think it is better for you to apply it from England or South Africa (the country you are in now). When you got the place, you can apply for temporary visa first, then enter japan, complete the Nihongo Gakko application, and when you are a complete student of the school, you can go to the immigration office and change the status of your visa to "foreign student visa" .
I am a foreign student currently studying engineering in Japan. It is interesting studying here if we are a positive person, which means approach first, not waiting to be approached .
Good Luck!
