<p>OK, not West Coast, but University of Cincinnati has a great Engineering program, and Japan is one of the specific countries that kids go to for co-op if they want to go abroad. (We just attended an eng. college tour and they mentioned Chile, Japan, Germany & one other, I think.) </p>
<p>Plus they give great (as in free ride) merit scholarships to NMFs.
A friend’s son did the co-op in Japan program and loved it. They do a one-quarter immersion for language & culture, then you go to the country to work.</p>