If you're not looking at end game goals, you should be good with picking any of the nations for now, and give it a go!
As you play and advance through the ages, you'll gain a better understanding of the game play. Save up the free crowns that you get initially in the game (through goals/achievements, watching ads, etc.), and avoid using them to speed up troop training or upgrades.
The balance of nations would also change with time as more and more changes are introduced in the game, as well as balance changes that might come up through future updates. So, it might be too early for you now to pick a nation now and stay with it forever.
Also, choose an active alliance who can help you with game play advice and suggestions, so that your progress in the game would be faster. It's good to learn from own experience, but, far better to learn from others' experience free of cost
Jokes apart, just start playing with any nation, learn and experience the game play, and then switch to a different nation once you reach the last couple of ages in the game (whatever they might be when you get there).
Since you mentioned that you like the ranged units a lot, the Koreans, British, and Chinese might be your options. If you aren't too particular about playing as an oriental nation, you could perhaps choose the British.
As others have mentioned, the Japanese town center's shooting ability isn't too valuable.
Chinese would be a balanced nation, but, much like jack of all trades and master of none. Their shooters shoot twice as fast, but each shot puts out 60% damage as regular shooters, so, that's a 20% extra damage with the Chinese shooters. The additional citizen might be useful for upgrading walls while you commit your other workers on upgrades. The extra mercenary capacity would make a small difference in wars.
Koreans would probably play out well in wars compared to the Chinese, with the 40% extra damage from the shooters, and the extra tactic slot. The refund on loot stolen from you might not make a lot of difference early on, as you might not get attacked too often.
The British benefit of +1 range and the 15% extra damage from shooters is better compared to the other two as it gives better chances of survival for the shooters. The 15% loot bonus per attack would add up over time.
As for my journey in the game, I started out as the French, then, about the time I got to EA, I started out a second base as the British. Then, about the time my first base got to Global Age, I started a third base as the Germans. When my first base reached Atomic Age, I switched from the French to the British (my first and only nation change across my three bases till date). For now, I'm playing as the British on two, and as the Germans on one of my bases.
In my experience, the British offensive capability benefit starts showing up from about Enlightenment Age, when your troop capacity goes up to 125.
The Germans are quite fun to play with as well. Till about Gunpowder Age, or even till Enlightenment Age (just skip bases with redoubts), you can get away with just infantry and shooters for all raiding/resource gathering. In my experience, they start to shine in wars from about Industrial Age.
The French were alright till about Industrial Age, but, thereafter, in wars, I was missing the in-battle bonuses of the damage inflicting units which other nations were offering.
Hope this helps!
Cheers and happy gaming!