Hello,

I am going to begin learning either Japanese or Chinese next year and plan to become fluent in whichever I choose. I am currently planning on majoring in economics and getting into international business/trade later in life. The problem is, I can't decide which to choose, Japan or China, for my area of focus. I plan to study abroad in whichever area I choose.

I am pretty sure I like the sound of the Japanese language better, but outside of that the two cultures both have their pros and cons in my opinion, which is why it is so hard for me to decide between the two.

So try to convince me why I should pick Japanese or give me some insight into why Japanese would be great to learn.

Thank you

Really is up to you to decide for yourself.
If you are planning on becoming "fluent" in either language you have many many years of hard work ahead of you.. so you will need to be motivated to do it.. hence it being important for you to decide.

Maybe visit each country and get some idea of what they are about before deciding (they are VERY different countries).. rather than expecting anyone here to try to "convince" you.

Study the differences between Japanese and Chinese culture. Relate your business strategy to these cultures. How do your feelings and lifestyle relate to these cultures? Study the unique government system of both China and Japan. That will be important in business dealings. Do you have any Japanese or Chinese friends? Consult them. Ultimately, it is your choice. Do some research. Search the business languages of the world. Do more research, and you will find that Mandurin Chinese and the most spoken language in the world. This might be a deciding factor for you. What do you want to sell? Is that needed more in a Japan or China? What values do your products appeal? How do these products relate to these two unique cultures? Would you feel more comfortable in China or Japan? Study security in these two places. Are you wanting to travel for business, or mail your products. There are many more questions and factors to evaluate, but I think this is it for now.

.

Spend a month in each and decide which is full of loud screaming selfish people and which is more civilized.

Why not Singapore?