What did Japan hope would result from their attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer 1

The planner and the main advocate for attacking Pearl Harbor was Admiral Yamamoto. He hoped to do enough damage to the US Pacific Fleet that the US would be unable to interfere as the Japanese went about making the Asian conquests which were their goal to expand their Empire into the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere". Yamamoto thought the attack would gain Japan six months in which to make her conquests and consolidate her hold. The Japanese also believed that by the time the US recovered sufficiently to be able to contest the Japanese invasions, the US would be confronted with the accomplished fact of the Japanese expansion, and, believing the US to be "soft" and irresolute, the Japanese talked themselves into believing that then the US would just accept this new set of circumstances, make peace, and leave Japan alone to enjoy what she had stolen. Yamamoto was right about the six months he would have at the start of the war, and the Japanese were able to grab everything they had planed on taking. But they were wrong about the ultimate US reaction, and the US determination to force Japan to unconditional surrender.

Answer 2

They were sure that it would cause the Americans to 'pause' before they entered WW2. They also thought it showed the world that they were great foes. Of course, it had the opposite effect as far as the Americans were concerned.

Answer 3

They wanted to totally destroy the American Pacific Fleet.

Answer 4

That they would destroy US naval forces in the Pacific, resulting in no opposition to their military actions there.

Answer 5

The Japanese hoped to destroy the American navy, and prevent America from interfering with the Japanese invasion of the Far East.