Too much ambition will simply crush your tiny little body, and you should have learned your lesson in the WWII.
Japanese tried to achieve their ambitions many times before, although they have always failed, neverthless their nation has gained progress; Like after the battle of Baekgang when Japanese faced first defeat at the hand of foreign powers, Yamato started intensive study to learn and adopt anything from the continent which might be useful for them,
Or after the imjin war when japanese again were forced to retreat after trying to keep their holdings on the korean peninsula from their prolonged invasion, while japan has gone into isolation after their failure, the shogunate managed to consolidate their rule and stabilise the country, after all those japanese warrior who were still battle hungry from the warring states period burnt out their fire in the failed invasion. If those people who knows nothing other than fighting and killing werent kept in check, Japan might fall back into chaos after hard fought unification.
And It is the same with their most recent failure, while devastated by the millitary defeat including the atomic bombs, their structure at home remained mostly untouched, and the modernisation of Japan which took place ever since meiji era were not destroyed or halted. On the contrary, Japan gained support from the western world powers which have proven to be critical for Japan rebuilding their nation into economic powerhouse.
In conclusion those past ambitions of Japan which never achieved their original goals did bring japan many benefits, they helped japan to catch up with outside world and progress even further, at the same time japan has always managed to prevent paying the "unaffordable" price no matter what kind of crimes they have commited, being protected as an island nation and be seen as useful for at good position to keep continental powers(east asia) in check. Japan is a unfortunate country for being constantly plagued by natural catastrophes but at the same time also a lucky nation being at a good position protected from the foreign human nations. Sadly this also blinded them, for they have only learnt the benefits of taking risks, not the price which they should pay, and thats the reason they will repeat their past "mistakes"(in the eyes of their victims) again and again in the future.