Objective: put pressure on India and take it as quickly as possible, thereby clearing the way for attacks vs. Caucasus and China.
Builds: 2 trs, 1 inf.
Combat moves:
Midway Sz- West coast: 2 ftr
Midway Sz- Hawaii Sz: 2 ftr
Car. I. Sz- Hawaii Sz: 1 DD
Car. I. Sz- East Indies Sz: 1 trs
Car. I. Sz- Okinawa-Phillippines Sz: 1 trs
Car. I. - Phillipines: 1 inf
Okinawa- Phillippines: 1 inf
Car. I. - East Indies 2 inf
Japan Sz- Phil. I. Sz: 1 trs
Formosa Sz- Phil. I. Sz: 1 BB
Formosa Sz- Burma Sz: 1 CV, 1 CA (bombard), 1 trs
Japan- Phil. I.: 1 inf, 1 arm.
Japan- Kwantung: 1 ftr
Kiangsu- Fukien: 2 inf
Manchuria-Fukien: 1 ftr
FIC-Kwangtung: 1 inf
Formosa-Kwangtung: 1 ftr
Formosa Sz-India Sz: 2 ftr
Formosa-Burma: 1 inf, 1 art
FIC-Burma: 2 inf
Non-combat moves:
India Sz-Burma Sz: 2 ftr
Midway Sz-Japan Sz: 2 CV
West coast Sz-Japan Sz: 2 ftr
Hawaii Sz- Japan Sz: 2 ftr
Fukien- FIC: 1 ftr
Kwangtung- FIC: 2 ftr
Manchuria-Kiangsu: 1 inf
Builds: Japan sea sz: 2 trs, Japan: 1 inf.
These moves pave the way for a turn 2 attack on India with 4-5 inf, 1 art and 5 ftr, as well as 1 CA bombarding. The only way to survive this attack is for the Allies to cooperate and the Soviets moving down at least 3-4 inf through Persia starting on turn 1. If they do this, UK may get a build in an Indian IC but the Japanese have a strong advantage in being able to get shore bombardment against India. An IC in FIC is also a good build on turn 2, and is well placed vs. India. After taking India, Japan can move vs. Russia from the South and/or against China. A lot of builds of course will be naval and air units to counter American offensives and later on put pressure vs. Australia and Hawaii. The possible draw-back to this strategy is that China will survive a little longer and also Hawaii, but the advantages of preventing an active UK IC in India I think are decisive.
Edit: changed the build now that we know of that US national objective involving Wake Island and Midway. Now grabbing those islands on turn 2 seem to be crucial to reduce US income. Of course, if you’re superstitious about deploying your carriers at Midway, you can grab Solomon Islands instead…