Answer:
Japan is an important case.
During a large part of its ancient history, Japan was greatly influenced by Chinese culture. From China, Japan took some of its religious aspects, as well as the writing script.
However, during the Japanse Middle Ages, a new national identity began to form. Japanese rulers began to distance themselves from China and developed their own indigenous cultural forms, which were still influenced by their Chinese past, but were also developing their own unique character.
