Why would Japan do this? It makes no sense for them to make a pact like that. Surely they knew that Germany had plans to attack the Soviet Union. Even Stalin was warned multiple times that an attack from Germany was imminent based on Germany's troop movement. So how did not Japan know if they were Germany's ally?
Would it not have a better outcome for Japan, if they decided to attack the Soviet Union instead of the U.S? They could've attacked from Manchuria while Germany strikes from the west. They would've easily CRUSHED the communist regime because many people in the Soviet Union HATED the regime and were willing to help destroy it. On top of Germany and the Japanese war machine combined gives them a guaranteed win.
This would have also made it harder for the U.S to enter the war with troops.
You have to also remember that Japan helped the jews spread communism in Russia during the Russo-Japanese war. So the government of Japan, at least by that time had elements of corruption. The usual corruption.
https://www.voat.xyz/viewpost.php?postid=6067bb97bd73d
3Whuurs 0 points 3.8 years ago
If anything, while seeing the war coming, Japan had incentive to sign a pact with the soviets just to protect their sphere of influence trying to keep control of China and that whole region.