The Germans helped set it up
A German spy working for Karl Haushofer gave vital intelligence that facilitated the Japanese attack
Yet after the attach, Germany declared war on us before we declared war on them
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cv-1i7Sx8L8
Germany expected Japan in return to help them against the Soviets.
The Japs weren’t stupid.
Speaking of Germany, on Dec 7th, 1941, the Wehrmacht was about to take Leningrad on the road to Moscow as part of Operation Barbarossa. The Japanese attack allowed Stalin to pull his Eastern troops to the Western front, allowing for the blunting of the German push.