The Japs were also assuming that Hitler would take care of Russia, and thus the Japanese didn’t need to worry about committing troops against the Soviet Union.
“thus the Japanese didn’t need to worry about committing troops against the Soviet Union.”
Russia stayed neutral against Japan until almost the end. Japan did not have to commit many troops there.
They also got their rear ends handed to them by the Soviets in 1939.
The Soviets had T-34’s. The Imperial Japanese Army was the world’s best light infantry. But they had no armor at all by European standards.
One Tank Brigade in Malaya equipped with old Matildas with 2 pound guns could have saved Singapore.