This publication is a translation of a manuscript by Rear Admiral Tomioka Sadatoshi, former Chief of the Operations Division of the Japanese Navy General Staff. The manuscript outlines the Japanese naval leadership's view of the events of 1931–1941 that led to the outbreak of the Pacific War, including the Sino-Japanese War, the confrontation with the USSR, the policy of moving south, and related circumstances. The publication contains translations of documents from the Japanese military and political leadership, most of which have not been previously published in Russian. The book will be of interest to specialists in the field of history, political science, military affairs, as well as anyone interested in this topic.