MEXT 2015 postgraduate university recommend

I apologise for this very simple/silly message. I have been reading endlessly for a clear timeline for the university recommended timeline/procedure and am unclear still unfortunately, and was hoping for some help.

I just want to know what the first steps are and an expected timeline (I know it differs greatly from the embassy recommended option).

I contacted a few universities about it and Uni of Tokyo says that the guidance for 2015 will come out this December and that in the meantime I should find a faculty member that would want to work with me.

Although I am working on that I am assuming I still have to go to the embassy in April/may to pick up the forms once they are out and go through the primary screening. Is that correct?

And then start contacting professors in Japan with information about my research topic etc. does that make sense?

It would be great it hear from someone who has gone through this before.

Thanks a bunch and apologies again for asking stupid questions. Just want to make sure I don't miss anything

I know this is a very annoying and silly question but would really appreciate some help.

For university recommendation is the first step still going to the London embassy and going through the first screening?

What does the timeline for the university recommendation look like? As I said earlier, Uni of Tokyo says the application procedures for them come out in December 2014 for next year.

Sorry if this has been covered but I have not been able to find it unfortunately.

The embassy doesn't have anything to do with the university recommendation. If they say the application procedures come out December, then wait until then (Though from previous years it seems to come out a bit sooner, more like October or November). Alternatively you can try to apply for the embassy recommendation in the spring instead if you don't want to wait.

OK that makes sense. That is one of the reasons I was confused as December seemed a lot later than what I had read on here.

So I just go through the university then.

Is it true that it is easier to get the scholarship through the university recommend option as opposed to the embassy option?

I wish I could go for both options.

Thanks a lot for your reply, I really appreciate it.