Generally ditto to most of your comment that Japan was practically defeated as a threat to the United States and allies after many of their sources of raw materials was taken from them. Also, Japan started their expansion into Southeast Asia and their war against the United States AFTER the United States stopped giving them resources such as oil and iron ore (the United States was hardly neutral before the attack on Pearl Harbor).
"hardly neutral" Gee, what was Japan doing during the thirties? Maybe we can ask someone from China.