Did Japan have valid reasons to attack Pearl Harbor?

Answer 1

• President Roosevelt had banned all exports of scrap iron, steel and oil to Japan. The reason for the embargo was the Japanese invasion of China. Japan had lost more than 90% of its oil supply. This crippled their economy and military.
• The belief that Western powers were hostile to Japan.
• The United States wanted Japan to withdraw from Indo-China.
• The US opposed Japanese expansion and Japan's demands were not being achieved by diplomacy.
• The Japanese were keen on expanding their empire and had to make a decision between surrendering or going to war with the United States.
• They wanted the US to acquiesce to their expansion into Asia.
• Pearl Harbor was the home of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Japan did not want the U.S. in the war because the U.S at this time had the greatest Naval force. They concluded that if the Pacific Fleet was destroyed, Americans would feel demoralized and not want to fight.
• The belief that Japan could defeat the United States. They convinced themselves that a devastating attack would dishearten the Americans and lead to cracks in the fabric of the American society that would threaten its stability.