Working Holiday Visa Problem!

Hey everyone,
I gathered all the stuff necessary for a working holiday visa and went to the Japanese embassey in Edmonton. I had everything I needed except for my care card (my mom's purse got stolen a few days before I left, and you'll never guess what was in it ) Anyways, they said they would process me after I showed them my care card. Well, since you need a return ticket before you even apply for the visa, I'm running out of time. 30-something days and my care card isn't even here yet. I want at least two weeks for the visa to send in case something goes wrong (something always does go wrong) so I was wondering, would it be possible for me to wait and get my care card, then go off to Japan without a visa, getting a temporary visa that I've heard about, then apply for a working holiday visa over there? Or is the whole point of the working holiday to have it before you enter the country? I'm kinda stressed out about this, so if anyone had any suggestions or anything, that'd be great!
Gord

Care card?

And you're not going to be able to get a working holiday visa issued anywhere other than in your home country. People who enter Japan on a tourist visa and are subsequently offered work must then re-enter the country on the new work visa. But that's for a full-time job and NOT a working holiday visa.