Previous research investigating the dynamics among the three inter-connecting variables of students' learning (i.e. learning strategies, academic performances and self-efficacy) was focused largely on Western countries. The present study attempted use a mixed approach to extend this line of research to an East Asian country. First, we randomly recruited 390 Japanese university students as participants by completing two learning inventories (LASSI and MSLQ), to investigate the interrelationships among the three variables of students' learning processes. Second, we followed up by interviewing 37 students from the same pool of participants, to complement the quantitative data. Convergent evidence generally supported that (a) there were important differences between the learning strategies used by the Japanese students with different levels of academic performance and (b) self-efficacy had equal status with the learning strategies in predicting the students' academic performances.