How were Japan's actions before and during the World War 2 similar to Germany's actions over the same period?

Both countries engaged in the mass killing of innocent people in conquered territories.

Answer: Militarist build-up towards the goal of foreign conquest; Aggressive and violent conquests; The idea of a superior race. The establishment of Rome-Berlin-Tokyo "Axis" with Italy and Germany

Explanation:

While Germany and Italy developed themselves as aggressive and racist fascist nations during the 1930s, Japan fell under the control of an always-expanding militarist joint that believed they should control the entire Asian continent. The rise of the Japanese militarists paralleled the rise of totalitarian dictators in Italy and Germany in many ways. Following the European nations, Japan started its aggression against other countries. On July 7, 1937, Japanese and Chinese troops clashed at the Marco Polo Bridge, west of Beijing. The incident quickly developed into a full-scale war.