Japan's ambition to expands its territories outside Japan began before World War II. Japan being an Island and mountainous region, did not have any natural resources. Japan relied on the importing raw materials from its neighboring countries. They felt that they need to conquer those territories, which could help them in building Japan into greatness. Japan fought and conquered territories in China and Korea and soon rise in power in Asia and the Pacific. The victory of the Battle of Midway (in 1942) played an important role for the allied forces because they stopped Japan in expanding its power in the Pacific.
