I have been to Japan for one month. There, I spoke with severals words of japanese (not a lot, the very base of it) and french, english.
The problem is that if you go in a little city, nearly no one can speak english. In big cities it is easier, but they don't speak very good english, and when they know it, they will go to you, from there own will ^^
But the greatest way to comnunicate is with signs and with ths hands (to show)
So if you don't know much, it's ok ^^ I've been threw it