The importance of national identity construction and its close connection with national strategy were discussed, emphasizing the core position of maritime national identity in national strategy. The article demonstrates the interaction between maritime power and national identity through historical cases such as British maritime hegemony and Japanese naval expansion. Yasuhiro Nakasone divided national strategy into military, diplomatic, economic, and domestic aspects, emphasizing that Japan's maritime strategy is a comprehensive component of national strategy, involving national security, economic development, and foreign policy. As a close neighbor and regional power of China, Japan's maritime strategy is closely related to the shaping of its national identity based on its natural geography and geopolitical characteristics. The significant adjustment of Japan's national security strategy and the intensification of the China US game have made the issue of Japan's maritime national identity construction of academic and policy reference value. The article points out that existing research has shortcomings in analyzing the development and changes of Japan's maritime strategy, the combination of national strategy and maritime strategy, and the new development and changes after the adjustment of the current national security strategy. This article aims to explore the construction of Japan's maritime national identity from three aspects: historical context, practical focus, and internal and external coordination, in order to deepen the inspiration for China's construction of a maritime power.

1、 Historical context: Consistent with national strategic goals

The construction of Japan's identity as a maritime nation is closely related to its national strategic goals, and its evolution has gone through a process from a military expansionist maritime nation to a maritime trading nation, and then to a comprehensive maritime power. After the Meiji Restoration, Japan began to pursue a military expansionist maritime identity due to resource demands and population growth, with a focus on maritime military strategy, leading to external aggression and expansion. After World War II, Japan shifted its focus to the status of a maritime trading nation, with economic development at its core, emphasizing the importance of establishing a trading nation and ensuring the safety of maritime routes. After the end of the Cold War, Japan explored new national strategic goals and maritime identity, emphasizing the construction of a comprehensive maritime power, including strengthening the US Japan alliance and expanding military capabilities. In recent years, Japan has regarded its maritime security strategy as a national strategy and national interest, emphasizing "comprehensive maritime security guarantee" and proposing strategic goals such as "becoming a first-class maritime power". Japan constructs its identity as a maritime nation, seeks to win over "maritime partners", responds to changes in the balance of power between China and Japan and the evolution of regional patterns, and maintains its position in the regional landscape. The construction of Japan's maritime national identity plays an important role in promoting its national strategic goals, reflecting its strategic culture and realistic logic.

2、 Practice focus: Adjust focus in response to national strategic concerns

Discussed the practical focus of Japan's maritime national identity construction, which has changed with the adjustment of national strategic concerns. Japan has emphasized strategic priorities such as economic growth, channel security, technological nation building, and comprehensive security at different times, and accordingly adjusted the focus of constructing its identity as a maritime nation. Japan continues to build a port power and a maritime resource development power to ensure economic security, while also forming overseas port layouts in major regions around the world to maintain the security of the international industrial chain. As a resource poor country, Japan attaches great importance to the development of marine resources and has proposed goals such as achieving commercial exploitation of combustible ice by 2030. In the field of ocean science and technology, Japan regards the construction of a strong country in ocean science and technology as the intersection of "ocean based nation" and "technology based nation". Through national strategic policies, Japan has achieved fruitful results and actively shaped its identity as a strong country in ocean science and technology. Currently, Japan will strengthen the development of ports, marine resources, and marine technology as part of its "comprehensive maritime security guarantee" system, with a particular emphasis on accelerating the construction of a maritime military power. Defense and Coast Guard budgets are increasing year by year, and the focus of maritime security guarantee is shifting towards the southwest. Japan will enhance its joint intervention capabilities in regional affairs with the United States and strive for recognition of its legitimacy in the international community.

3、 Internal and External Coordination: Coordinating with the National External Strategy Promotion System

Explored the construction of Japan's maritime national identity and its implications for the construction of China's maritime power. The formation of Japan's maritime identity is a product of its own development process and interaction with international relations. Japan strengthens its maritime interest recognition with target countries, deepens mutual trust, and expands national interests through differentiated diplomatic strategies and resource investment. For the United States, Japan has shaped an identity that respects American maritime hegemony and common maritime interests, relying on the US Japan alliance to enhance its influence and contain China. For countries with vested interests, Japan shapes an identity of jointly safeguarding maritime and trade freedom, opposing maritime powers, and using aid and common interests to win the favor of target countries, strengthening the binding of interests. To the international community, Japan shapes an identity that respects universal values and has the ability to lead global ocean governance, uses multilateral governance platforms and home diplomacy to promote the concept of universal ocean values, strives for widespread recognition, and advances strategic interests. Japan has gathered the Ocean Democratic Alliance through maritime values diplomacy, constructing a maritime national identity image that is in opposition to mainland countries. Japan attaches great importance to shaping its relationship with the United States in order to bind itself with the United States and jointly contain China. Japan continues to promote the concept of universal ocean values on multilateral platforms such as maritime international organizations and the United Nations Ocean Conference, actively leading cooperation on specific issues and striving to gain widespread recognition at a low cost. Japan is adept at using home diplomacy and specific issues to strengthen its positive identity as a maritime nation.

4、 Inspiration for the Construction of China's Maritime Power

The change in Japan's identity as a maritime nation reflects the adjustment of its national strategy, especially in the field of maritime military construction, which is gradually recognized by the international community. China needs to be highly vigilant about Japan's movements and draw inspiration from them, guided by national strategic goals, to maintain strategic coherence and dynamic adjustment capabilities. The construction of China as a maritime power should be systematically incorporated into the national rejuvenation strategy, coordinating development and security, adhering to land sea coordination, and advocating for peaceful cooperation and sustainable development. The construction of a maritime power is not only a domestic matter, but also requires recognition and support from the international community. China should strengthen the narrative of its identity as a maritime nation, strive for understanding and support, manage disputes with neighboring countries, seek support from "maritime intermediaries", and build consensus through cooperation and communication. The construction of a maritime power is a long-term and complex systematic project that requires strategic design, legislative support, and effective implementation. China should strengthen top-level design, introduce the Basic Law of the Ocean, formulate a five-year plan, coordinate maritime policies, budgets, and talent resources, focus on building ports, shipping, technology, and economic powers, and promote the construction of a maritime power.