 In order to obtain support from the Imperial Japanese Army for the Midway operation , the Imperial Japanese Navy agreed to support their invasion of the Aleutian Islands . The IJA wished to occupy the western Aleutians to place the Japanese home islands out of range of U.S. land @-@ based bombers based in Alaska . The Japanese operations in the Aleutian Islands ( Operation AL ) removed yet more ships that could otherwise have augmented the force striking Midway . Whereas many earlier historical accounts considered the Aleutians operation as a feint to draw American forces away , early twenty @-@ first century research has suggested that AL was intended to be launched simultaneously with the attack on Midway . A one @-@ day delay in the sailing of Nagumo 's task force resulted in Operation AL beginning a day before the Midway attack . 
