The Japanese were fundamentally offensively minded. This offensive attitude held fast because the Japanese knew that compared to western forces, they were seriously deficient in material, resources and firepower. To overcome these deficiencies, they would rely on the intangibles and simplicity. The basic concept, which guided all Japanese military actions was that, a simple plan carried through with power and determination of it's fanatical infantrymen coupled with speed of maneuver would very much disrupt the plans of the technologically much superior enemy with much bigger fire power.

The Japanese believed correctly that they had to strike first, and that they had to strike with massive forces and that only in this way they would ensure that the campaign would be short and decisive and had only chance to win the battle because they correctly believed and understood that if their enemies were allowed to gather strength, then Japan would lose. This was the main doctrine of the Japanese infantry forces. Like any military plans, sometimes they don't work out as planned. This happens to every military. The technologically inferior Japanese forces believed this course of battlefield actions was the only option open to them to fight the technologically far superior enemy with immense fire power. This is why Japanese did what they did in the battlefield. Admiral Yamamoto was right saying that Japan would lose the war against America. It was a foregone conclusion that Japan would lose the war because population, technology, industrial capacity overwhelmingly favored America. Attacking Pearl Harbor was the most fatal mistake Japanese made during WW2.

Replies: @jilles dykstra

Japanese engaged in human wave charges only as a last resort because the Japanese infantry doctrine discouraged frontal attacks as much as possible. When you are out of munitions and armaments, you just do what you have to do because surrendering was not an option for the Japanese. The most devastating problem with the Japanese was the vastly inferior weapons and equipment they had, compared to the Allies. This fundamental military defect negatively influenced what Japanese military could achieve in tactics and strategy. So Japanese soldiers tried to do their best with what they had. Considering the inferior weapons and equipment they had to work with, Japanese troops performed very well. But Japanese soldiers were very innovative and many times used unique tactics. For example,they used tanks in the jungles of the South East Asia when western military thought it was impossible. The thing is Japanese made their tanks very light so that they could maneuver them in the jungles. Also Japanese troops used bicycles to transport themselves and supplies to go through the jungle terrains in the Malay Peninsula and Japanese soldiers were better than the Allied soldiers at night fighting because Japanese troops used their unique night fight tactics and they also kept a small number of cavalry soldiers to act as messengers when radio communication was impossible.

Replies: @peterAUS, @Count de Money