My Japanese friend is adamant that Pearl Harbor was not, in fact, a surprise attack as a declaration of war was sent to America. We simply didn't translate it in time so it was our lack of preparation that made the attack so devastating.
I want to call horseshit on this as they also believe (as was taught in the school system) that Japan did not use comfort women, but I did some googling and read that Japan did send a declaration of some kind.
What went down? Did they bungle the normal procedure? Did we simply not get it translated or send it where it needed?
There was a message intended to be sent by the Japanese ambassador to the United States Secretary of State shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor began. The appointment to deliver this message was at 1:45 pm Eastern Time (7:45 am Hawaii Time); the attack started at 7:55 am Hawaii Time. Due to delays, it wasn't delivered until after the attack had already started.
However, the message was not a declaration of war but a cessation of the negotiations that were then going on. Also, as a diplomatic message delivered to the United States Government in Washington, it was delivered in English and there wouldn't have been a need to translate.
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/wwii/p3.asp
Of note is that the last line which states:
"The Japanese Government regrets to have to notify hereby the American Government that in view of the attitude of the American Government it cannot but consider that it is impossible to reach an agreement through further negotiations."