What was our relationship with the Japanese before Pearl Harbor?

Question: What was our relationship with the Japanese before Pearl Harbor!?

Did we do something so they would attack us!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Yes, we pretty well forced their hand!. The US was harshly critical of Japanese advances on the mainland, which the Japanese saw as exactly the same as our own Manifest Destiny policies!. The only explanation for the double standard was racism!. Step-wise increases in trade embargoes left Japan with few places to obtain natural resources, and they have few of their own, so importation was a necessity!. The Soviets had checked their northern chances (see Khalkhin Gol), so they had to move south!. The US had Plan Orange to go to war if the Japanese did move south, and the Chicago Tribune published Plan Orange, so the Japanese certainly had no question why the US Pacific Fleet had moved from its home ports to Pearl!. And finally, the US oil embargo left Japan with only a few months in which to move or die!. They would have been completely out of oil before the end of that winter, so even the time-line was dictated by US policies!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Misunderstanding and hostility marred America's relationship with Imperial Japan!. America being a majority White/Caucasian Nation treated the Japanese as an inferior subservient group who ought to follow the dictates of America!. America's leaders failed to comprehend Japan's desire to become a modern nation and to maintain their status as a modern nation!. But above all America did not understand Japan's relationships with fellow Asian nations!.
On their part Japan was controlled by a Military Junto that saw aggression as the only solution to their need for vital resources such as oil and metal!. Japan's military Junto wanted Japan to be the dominant partner in a coalition of Asian nations!. True many of those nations were being held hostage by Western Powers but instead of getting the people of Indonesia and Malaysia to rise up against their Western Colonial Masters and then to apply to Japan for leadership, the Japanese solution was to strike down those Western Colonial Masters and then to say to the people of the Philipines and Malaysia and Indonesia, "WE ARE YOUR NEW MASTERS!."
The biggest bone of contention between America and Japan was due to the fact that in becoming a modern industrial nation, Japan had become dependent on Ameria purchasing petroleum and scrap metal, and Japan had lots of money in American banks!. When Japan amped up their attacks upon China, America froze Japanese assets in their banks, turned off the petroluem spigot, and halted delivery of scrap metal!.
A lot like a stern parent cutting off a child's allowance!. America acted as an arbitrary Super Power dictating to an inferior!. This wounded Japanese pride and gave the Military Junto an excuse to argue that America was an enemy that needed to be attacked!. Their polan was stuid and inefficient but that requires another 2 points!.

Peace////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Perry returned in February of 1854 with twice as many ships, finding that the delegates had prepared a treaty embodying virtually all the demands in Fillmore's letter!. Perry signed the Convention of Kanagawa on March 31, 1854, and departed, mistakenly believing that the agreement had been made with imperial representatives!.

Kanrin Maru, Japan's first screw-driven steam warship, transported 1860s delegation to San Francisco!.
Six years later, the Shogun sent Kanrin Maru on a mission to the United States; it was his intention to show the world that Japan had mastered Western navigation techniques and ship technologies!. On the January 19, 1860, Kanrin Maru left the Uraga Channel for San Francisco!. The delegation included Katsu Kaishu, as ship captain; John Manjiro; and Fukuzawa Yukichi!. The Embassy went on to Washington via Panama, on American vessels!.

The official objective of the mission was to send the first Japanese embassy to the United States ever, and also to ratify the new Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation between the two governments!. The delegates also tried to revise some of the unequal clauses in Perry's treaties; they were unsuccessful!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

US-Japanese relations were somewhat strained but getting better between 1853 when they were opened up to trade until 1905 and the Russo-Japanese war!.

Up until Japan only white and Christian countries had modernized, it was widely held (especially by white Christian countries) that being white and Christian were in fact requirements for modernization!. It was generally held that the Japanese were on the right track and most countries had considerable respect for them!.

In 1905 though they soundly defeated the Russian fleet in the battle of Tsushima, suddenly the term used to describe them became 'yellow menace'!.

From about 1905 on relations continued to be strained and only got worse when Japan began carving up and invading China from 1931 on!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Our relationship with them before Pearl Harbor was strained to say the least!. We had broken off trade with them, and were in talks with them right up until the day before!. (Thank the history channel for this answer)Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think we had some trade disagreements with them!.Www@QuestionHome@Com