Why did Japan invade china in 1931?

Answer 1

Incorrect first answer:

they didn't want to invade china but they wanted to invade Mongolia because of the poor population of Mongolia at the time. at the time Mongolian population was little bit over 700,000 and when they invaded Mongolia Mongolians hold them for long time good because of the Russian behind Mongolia helping Mongolian which then they thought they can make the Mongolians communists but japan failed because Chinese troops attacked and civilians overthrew Japanese troops.

my answer:

The first answer is incorrect. The Japanese Army, which had control of the Japanese government, was obsessed with the idea of conquering China for many years prior to the July 7, 1937 incident at the Marco Polo Bridge that started their invasion. In 1894, Japan provoked a war with China, to successfully seize control of Korea. In 1895 the Japanese forced the Chinese to give the island of Formosa (Taiwan) to them. In 1904 the Japanese invaded southern Manchuria, starting a war with Russia that controlled this part of China. In 1905 the Russians agree to end the fighting by giving their portion of Manchuria to Japan. In the First World War 1914-1918, Japan seizes territories from Germany: China's Shantung Peninsula, the Marianas Islands, the Caroline Islands and the Marshall Islands. On September 8, 1931 the Japanese Army (without orders from the government) creates the "Mukden Incident' that allowed them to seize the remainder of Manchuria, previously a part of China.

This obsession on the part of the Japanese Army was so strong, that it would cause the Japanese to attack the United States (and the British & Dutch) on December 7/8, 1941. The Japanese wanted to prevent the United States from helping China or otherwise interfering in the Japanese conquest of China.

Answer 2

The Manchurian Incident in 1931/1933 and the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937.

Answer 3

Japan needed more living space and raw materials (esp. coal and oil) all of which were in short supply on the Japan homeland