Japan And The US Were enemies before pearl harbor why?

Answer 1

For several hundred years, Japan had been in self-imposed isolation. They traded rarely, at one time limiting trading rights to only Dutch traders.

In 1853-4, during the Tokugawa Shogunate, Commodore Matthew Perry of the US Navy, forcibly breached this isolation, demanding the right to trade with Japan. In the Convention of Kanagawa, he obtained the right to open trading posts in some Japanese cities and other similar rights. This treaty was forcibly imposed upon Japan by the immense strength of Perry's fleet, initially of 4 warships, to show how serious America was about backing up its demands with military force. This number which doubled during his second visit, when the treaty was signed. This was not the first unwarranted incursion of Americans in Japan during the Sakoku ("Country in Chains" i.e. closed nation) period of Japanese history.

During the Meiji Period of Emperor Meiji of 1868-1912, the Japanese went to the various nations of the world and gained expertise in various fields of human development. They modelled their military on the American model (see the film The Last Samurai). Most European nations also showed the Japanese modern techniques in the fields of politics, medicine, education and law.

The Japanese, with new-found confidence and a desire not to be subject to Western rule as had happened in Chine (reference the Boxer Rebellion and the West's reaction), went on a period of expansion. They conquered the remainder of today's Japanese Island Chain, had economic influence over much of the Pacific and thus, European colonies. Their wars against China and Russia in the following years showed their immense military strength. In WWI, they joined the Allies and fought German colonies in Asia. Politically, their isolation was formally ended in 1902 by a treaty with Britain.

After the war, Japan and America were the two countries least affected by the devastation wrought in Europe. This allowed Japan to further increase her economic influence in the Pacific - brining fear to the American government. The Washington Naval Treaty of 1922, limited the power of the Japanese Navy, making it of subordinate size to US and UK Navies. This brought great animosity amongst the Japanese.

By WWII, the Japanese had been forced to leave the League of Nations, of which they were members of the Council (a forerunner to today's UN Security Council) over their invasion and annexation of Manchuria.

As you can see, American's power in the Pacific had prevented Japanese "rightful" growth in their own area for many years, after having forced Japan to move into the world. This meant that Japan and America had become natural enemies by Pearl Harbour.

Answer 2

because they have no friends a big head and one goof