Hehe not sure what this thread is about but yeah, containing Japan can be done. Just keep the Russian units on the Manchurian border as a threat. Use the American fleet to make threats where Japan is weak (i.e. the South Pacific or the North Pacific). Use British fighters to support Russia and India. You don’t have to take any aggressive actions. Just putting your troops where they can pose threats forces them to defend, slowing down their expansion, and if they don’t defend that’s when you strike.
Attacking early as Russia is possible but quite risky. Pressure and attacks from all sides are necessary. However, usually it’s Germany in these scenarios who will become super strong and take Moscow. You can contain Japan however it’s much harder to defeat it. You need to wait for them to make a mistake. It’s often easier to defeat Germany.
However, I must say that it has been a very long time since I last played OOB G40, so you have to take my thoughts with a grain of salt.