[garou]

The usefulness of a language depends if you are going to use. I got your point, China is HUGE and extremely important at the moment and future.

But at the same time japanese can be seen as very useful because:

- its a very important ally of the USA;

- introduce you to the ideographic writing system;

- be very similar to korean grammar (and particle system).

[SimbaOnSteroids]

Another thing with Chinese is that even though the writing system is universal the dialects very so much that someone from Hong Kong might not be able to understand someone from Beijing, Shenzhen, or Shanghai(not familiar with what dialects are spoken where). That said they're all fairly similar and can be picked up more easily once you already know one.