Implaussible to impossible. The United States in this time period in the middle of an isolationist mindset. Japan sunk an American warship in 1937, and Congress chose to do nothing. They will not react well unless there is overwhelming proff an attack is being planned (and I mean, say, a Japanese aircraft crashes near Pearl and the pilot is interrogated), and even then there will be little unity of the war effort. Also, the American Pacific fleet at the time consisted of three Carriers (lexington, Saratoga, Enterprise), 9 battleships, and assorted escorts. The combined Fleet Striking force had a total of 6 carriers (Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu, Shokaku, Zuikaku), 2 battleships (Hiei, Kirishima), 3 Cruisers, and 8 destroyers. The Americans cannot locate the japanese force and eliminate it in time with carrierbourne aircraft without being defeated in detail, and a Battleship action is unlikely. The American battleships, while numerous enough to wipe out the CFSF if they caught it, are to slow to catch them, vulnerable to air attack, and their departure would give the japanese time to react (not to mention sallying the rest of the fleet). By then, a fleet engagment will be under very uncertain terms, and remember, there is no war.
Where do you come up with these scenarios? And can you at least try a bit harder to find some plausible ones?