What were japan's attack plans for the Battle of Midway?

Answer 1

Japan's attack plans for the battle of Midway were complex. Initially, the plan called for a diversionary attack at Dutch Harbor, AK. Followed the next day by a strike against Midway itself to knock out defensive possitions and prepare the island (atoll) for the "Main Body" landing force to take the island. However, another aspect of the plan was to draw the American Carriers out from the relative safety of Pearl Harbor and destroy them in the open Pacific. This is where the attack plans for Japan had conflicting objectives. Was the main objective to destroy the American carriers or was the main objective to land forces on Midway and occupy it? As the battle unfolded, and the American carriers were already on-site, Japan concentrated on the American flat-tops. When Japan lost four of their front-line carriers during the battle, the landing force turned away from Midway without ever landing.