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Japan fought wars of conquest with nations it felt it easily beat. No so the case with the US.
Generally, countries like Japan attack larger and more "equal" enemies like the US for one of two reasons... they have nothing left to lose, or they fear they have everything to lose. In this case, the Japanese felt they had everything to lose and that the US were the only ones capable, and possibly willing, to take it from them. By controlling most of Asia, natural resources (including oil) would cease to be a problem. Japan had no real designs toward Hawaii or the west coast, but they wanted to dominate Asia. Geographically, the Philippines (which the US controlled) was like a sword gouging them from underneath. Our position in the Philippines had the potential to destroy everything they had created.
The hope, and it was something of a desperate hope, was to attack us quickly and decisively... to hopefully knock us out quickly... take the Philippines for themselves, and thus secure their conquests and position in Asia as the overwhelmingly dominate country.
Generally, countries like Japan attack larger and more "equal" enemies like the US for one of two reasons... they have nothing left to lose, or they fear they have everything to lose. In this case, the Japanese felt they had everything to lose and that the US were the only ones capable, and possibly willing, to take it from them. By controlling most of Asia, natural resources (including oil) would cease to be a problem. Japan had no real designs toward Hawaii or the west coast, but they wanted to dominate Asia. Geographically, the Philippines (which the US controlled) was like a sword gouging them from underneath. Our position in the Philippines had the potential to destroy everything they had created.
The hope, and it was something of a desperate hope, was to attack us quickly and decisively... to hopefully knock us out quickly... take the Philippines for themselves, and thus secure their conquests and position in Asia as the overwhelmingly dominate country.