The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor primarily to neutralize the U.S. Pacific Fleet as a strategic preemptive move to secure Japan's expansion in Asia and the Pacific. Japan faced severe shortages of natural resources like oil, rubber, and iron, worsened by U.S. economic sanctions and embargoes following Japan's aggressive expansion in China and Southeast Asia. The attack aimed to cripple the U.S. naval power, preventing interference with Japan's territorial ambitions and resource acquisition, particularly in Southeast Asia. Japanese leaders believed a decisive strike would demoralize the U.S. and force a negotiation, securing Japan's dominance in the region before the U.S. could mobilize for war. However, the attack was also a gamble resulting from a diplomatic breakdown and a perception that war with the U.S. was inevitable.