In 1931, Imperial Japan ruled Korea but had its eyes on the mineral wealth of Manchuria. On the pretense of taking action to stop Chinese interference with the railway Japan used to get to Manchuria, Japan invaded and conquered Manchuria despite attempts by the Chinese to fight back. Soon Japan was waging war all over China. China was not a developed military power and Japan was. The result was the end of Chinese autonomy.
In 1931, Japan invaded and occupied Manchuria.
Starting in 1931 Japan invaded the North Eastern part of China including Manchuria and bordered by the USSR. Please see the related question below.
Japan
Japan.
1933 japan attacks china.
1933 Japan attacks china.
Manchuria (Northern China)
manchuria
Manchuria.
Manchuria .
China .
What a muddle! It was the other way round. Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931 and then, in 1937, launched a full scale attack on China. China has never dominated Japan.