Analysis of Japan's New Basic Ocean Plan:Characteristics,Motivations and Influences
Japan has long claimed itself as a maritime country,and its maritime strategy does not only occu-py an important position in its national strategic system,but also it concerns the bilateral relations between China and Japan as well as regional peace and stability.On April 28,2023,Japan introduced its fourth Basic Plan on Ocean Policy for guiding specific marine policies within the next five years.Since Fumio Kishida came to power and made major adjustments to Japan's security policies,this has been the first ver-sion of the Basic Ocean Plan for exhibiting three major characteristics compared to the third Basic Plan on Ocean Policy.These characteristics are an unprecedented increase in the trend of pan-securitization,the adjustment of the main sources of maritime threats from North Korea to China and Russia,and the proposal of the basic principle of building a sustainable ocean.The main reasons for these changes include the long-term infiltration of crisis awareness,expansionism,and militarism in Japan's strategic culture,the acceler-ation of Japan's national strategy transformation towards becoming a great power with political power and military power as its core appeals,significant changes in Japan's external environment represented by ente-ring the so-called"new era",and the Kishida regime facing governance crises due to economic downturn,aging population and a series of political scandals.Japan's future adjustment of its marine policies based on the fourth Basic Ocean Plan may have a negative impact on Sino-Japanese relations,regional security situa-tion,and even cooperation in the global high frontier area,which deserves high vigilance.
The Fourth Basic Plan on Ocean PolicyJapan's ocean strategymaritime nationSino-Japan relations
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