Mmm...I was a bit surprised about that as well. I'm not sure about applicant numbers from other states, but if there were only a couple of us that applied, they might have just based nomination upon test score without having to refine our numbers further by interview.
Thanks for the heads up about the timing! I'm not so much bothered by the waiting either, but it's nice to get a rough idea about when I can start expecting news.
I spent a year in Kanagawa, so am a bit of a Tokai girl at heart. I nominated Keio first, as I've received confirmation in the past that my university will accept credit from their program, even though we're not an exchange partner. Second was Hitotsubashi, because I found their internship program quite appealing.
Hokkaido University was a bit of an outlier as third preference. The flexibility of their study program struck me as a good fit, and I've also heard positive things about it from a professor of mine who is Monbusho alumni. Also, I guess, I tend to get a yearning for wide open spaces when I'm in Japan. Hokkaido is the closest I've seen that compares to Australia in that respect!
Haha, looking at that list, though, I'm starting to get a sinking feeling that I'm punching a little bit above my weight. Really, I think I'd just be delighted to get onto the program, regardless of where I end up being posted.