List of territories acquired by the Empire of Japan

Northeast Supreme Administrative Council – February 16, 1932 to March 1, 1932

On February 16, 1932, the Imperial Army hosted the "Founding Conference" or the "Big Four Conference" with governor of Liaoning, Zang Shiyi, commander of the Kirin Provincial Army, Xi Qia, Heilongjiang governor, Zhang Jinghui, and general Ma Zhanshan to establish the Northeast Administrative Committee. On its second meeting, the committee appointed the previous four and Tang Yulin, Ling Sheng, and Qimote Semupilei as chairmen. On the 18th, the Council issued a statement announcing that "the Northeast provinces are completely independent", all territories of which were in the hands of the council.

State of Manchuria – March 1, 1932 to August 18, 1945

• (Chinese: 滿洲國, Japanese: 満州国)

Manchuria had long been a location of unrest, and the Mukden Incident was a perfect excuse for Japanese occupation. In the Mukden incident, the Kwantung Army set off a bomb along the South Manchuria Railway and used the explosion as an excuse to occupy Manchuria, blaming Chinese forces.^[11] Manchukuo was created in March 1932. Although the Japanese controlled the area, they could not annex Manchuria into Japan because they had signed the Nine-Power Treaty. Japan and Manchukuo signed several treaties allowing Japan to mobilize Manchuria's people and resources as it liked.^[12] It was disestablished after the Soviet invasion of Manchuria.^{[12] : 90}

East Hebei Autonomous Government – November 25, 1935 to February 1, 1938

• (Japanese: 冀東防共自治政府)

The East Hebei Autonomous Council, also sometimes called the East Ji Autonomous Council or the East Hopei Autonomous Anti-Communist Council, was headed by Yin Ju-keng in 1935 to help protect economic interests in north China.^[13] East Hebei protected Japan's economic interests by prohibiting the export of silver and the circulation of the notes of the Central Bank of China. They also set up their own Central Bank and began to issue notes which were supported by several banks and were widely circulated in Tianjin, against the orders of the Chinese central government. Under Japan's control of East Hebei, the region broke into reported "lawlessness", with the puppet state purportedly selling drugs to raise money.^[14] On February 1, 1938, East Hebei was merged with the Provisional Government of the Republic of China.^[15]

Mengjiang United Autonomous Government – September 1, 1939 to August 19, 1945

• (Chinese: 蒙疆聯合自治政府, Japanese: 蒙疆聯合自治政府)

On 22 December 1935, part of Inner Mongolia split from China, and became an independent state. The Mongol Military Government was formed on 12 May 1936. The military government operated under Chinese sovereignty, but Japanese control.^[16] In 1937, its name was changed to the Mongol United Autonomous Government. In 1939, the United Mongolian Autonomous Government, the Northern Shanxi Autonomous Government, and the South Chahar Autonomous Government merged to become Mengjiang. Mengjiang was later merged with other puppet states to create the Provisional Government of the Republic of China.^[17]

Great Way Government – December 5, 1937 to May 3, 1938

• (Chinese: 上海市大道政府, Japanese: 上海市大道政府)

The Great Way Municipal Government (GWMG) was created to help administer the occupied suburbs of Shanghai in December 1937.^[18] The GWMG was very small, headquartered in an office building in Pudong. Because of its association with the Japanese government, the GWMG found it hard to attract any politicians of reputation. It had difficulty creating an administration for Shanghai, and after just under five months merged with a new occupation regime in Nanjing.^[19]

Provisional Government of the Republic of China – December 14, 1937 to March 30, 1940

• (Chinese: 中華民國臨時政府, Japanese: 中華民国臨時政府)

The Provisional Government was set up just over six months after the Marco Polo Bridge incident, on the day after the fall of Nanking. Before the country was even created, in October 1937, Japan created the North China Development Company [zh] to exploit China's resource-rich north.^[20] On 30 March 1940, the Provisional Government was merged with other puppet states to form the Reorganized National Government of China.^[16]: 379

Reformed Government of the Republic of China – March 28, 1938 to March 30, 1940

• (Chinese: 中華民國維新政府, Japanese: 中華民国維新政府)

The Reformed Government of the Republic of China (RGRC) was created in Nanking, after the Battle of Nanking on 28 March 1938.^[21] The RGRC was intended to appear legitimate. Wang Jingwei was the first Chairman of the RGRC.^[22] Despite this, the government was filled with "nonentities who posed no threat to the Japanese exercise of real power." It was merged into the Reorganized National Government of China in 1940.^[23]

Reorganized National Government of China – March 30, 1940 to August 16, 1945

• (Chinese: 中華民國, Japanese: 中華民国)

Japan wanted to make Wang Jingwei, the former leader of the Provisional Government of China, the leader of a new puppet government. He set up a new Nationalist government and requested that the Three Principles be reinstated, among other things. The Japanese initially denied this request, viewing the Three Principles as "Western ideas," but eventually accepted, with some exceptions: the requested five-branch system was replaced with a one-party system. The Nationalist Government retained independence in financial matters and the economy, but Japan controlled its politics.^[24] Despite this, the country had no real power, and was mainly used as a propaganda tool. The country was disestablished in August 1945.^[16]: 383

State of Burma – August 1, 1943 to August 19, 1945

• (Burmese: ဗမာ, Japanese: ビルマ国)

Initially, Burma was invaded with the sole objectives of cutting off the Burma Road, a route through which the United States and Great Britain supplied Chiang Kai-shek, and gaining the resources of Burma, mainly rice and gas. After Japan's successful conquest of Burma, which was completed in May 1942, they began driving the British out, using the Burmese Independence Army. Once the British were entirely out of Burma, Burma was granted nominal independence, which essentially meant that Burma was called independent, but was really under Japanese control, as part of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. After several years, growing dissent in the country led to growing popularity of Thakins and other anti-government groups like it. By 1944, they had organized an underground anti-fascist organization, and on 27 March 1945, Aung San led these and other forces to rise up against the Japanese. The uprising is remembered as a struggle against "imperialist British" and "fascist Japanese."^[25]

Second Philippine Republic – October 14, 1943 to August 17, 1945

• (Filipino: Repúbliká ng Pilipinas, Japanese: フィリピン第二共和国)

Following Japan's invasion of the Philippines in 1941, the Japanese tried to present themselves as liberators of the Philippines from their "colonial repression." In 1942, a group of influential Filipino politicians tried to negotiate with the Japanese for the creation of a new national government, but this led to nothing more than the creation of the puppet state. A second factor in the creation of the puppet state was the turning tide of the war: the Japanese believed that the creation of a government that appeared free would boost civilian morale. On 20 October 1944, US forces began the liberation of the Philippines. The Philippines were effectively under United States control by July 1945, and the Philippines was granted full independence in July 1946.^[26]

Provisional Government of Free India – October 21, 1943 to September 06, 1945

• (Hindi: आर्ज़ी हुक़ूमत-ए-आजा़द हिन्द, Urdu: عارضی حکومت‌ِ آزاد ہند, Japanese: 自由インド仮政府, Bengali: আজাদ হিন্দ অস্থায়ী সরকার)

The Provisional Government of India, sometimes also called the Provisional Government of Azad Hind, was created by Indian nationalists-in-exile in October 1943.^{[16] : 411} According to Subhas Chandra Bose in a proclamation issued on 4 April 1944, the government was formed in Syonan-to (formerly Singapore) after an invasion of Singapore. This invasion was wanted "by the unanimous will of the three million Indians in East Asia." Additionally, he stated that the Provisional Government had but one mission: "to expel the Anglo-American armies from the sacred soil of India by armed force and then to bring about the establishment of a Permanent Government of Azad Hind, in accordance with the will of the Indian people." He also claimed that "the Indian people will co-operate wholeheartedly with our Ally, the Nippon Army, who are giving us unstinted and unconditional assistance in defeating our enemies." Bose was also "fully convinced [of] Nippon's sincerity towards India." He also claimed that, given the Government's rapid advance into India, "the circumstances have... rendered it necessary... to borrow from the Nipponese Government the currency... already in its possession and to use that money as a temporary measure."^[27] The Provisional Government ended shortly after Subhas Bose died in a plane crash on the way to Taiwan, in August 1945. With his death, much of the Indian National Army surrendered.^[28][29]

Empire of Vietnam – March 11, 1945 to August 25, 1945

• (Vietnamese: Đế quốc Việt Nam, Japanese: ベトナム帝国)

On 10 May 1940, Germany began its invasion of France. Following victory over France on 22 June 1940, Philippe Pétain was given control of Vichy France. Japan had been placing pressure for facilities and bases in Vietnam before France fell, and the fall of France made Japan even more eager.^[30] Japan occupied Vietnam for much of World War II, and this set up a climate favorable to more radical ideas and revolutionary nationalism. Starting in the spring of 1945, the Viet Minh began carving out a small "liberated zone" along the borderlands of Vietnam. In an effort to save downed American pilots lost in Vietnam, the US agreed to aid the Viet Minh army, and train their technicians. After the first revolution, on 9 March 1945, the French governor of Indochina Jean Decoux was arrested, and replaced (by the Japanese government) with Bảo Đại.^[31] Despite its local backing, the government had no military power of its own. Bảo Đại later wrote that, while working there, he "felt isolated in a dead capital city."^[31]: 358 In August 1945, the August Revolution brought freedom to Vietnam, just days before the Japanese surrendered.^[32]

Kingdom of Cambodia – March 13, 1945 to October 16, 1945

• (Khmer: ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា, Japanese: カンボジア王国)

In October 1940, the Franco-Thai War broke out between Vichy France and Thailand. The Japanese, using their power in the area (gained after the Japanese invasion of French Indochina), mediated the ceasefire, and got Vichy France to cede disputed territories to Thailand. On 8 December 1941, Japanese forces invaded Thailand, using bases in Cambodia.^{[citation needed]} By July 1942, nationalists were growing more upset with the French rule in the area, and were planning a march against the French, when, on 17 July, their leader, Hem Chieu, was arrested after mentioning his ideas of a march to a Cambodian militiaman. This outraged the nationalists, and they staged a Japanese-backed rally on 20 July. The French reacted harshly, tracking down as many people as possible who attended the protest, then trying them. After the allied invasion of France, Japan began to grow fearful that the Free French Forces would align Cambodia with the allied cause. On 9 March 1945, Japan seized control of Cambodia in a coup d'état in French Indochina. On 13 March, Norodom Sihanouk agreed with Japanese wishes, and declared that Cambodia was now the independent Kingdom of Kampuchea, and nullified all Franco-Cambodian agreements. Within a day of the surrender of Japan, Cambodia was returned to French hands.^[33]

Kingdom of Luang Prabang – April 8, 1945 to October 12, 1945

• (Lao: ອານາຈັກຫຼວງພະບາງ, Japanese: ルアンプラバン王国)

In March 1945, large numbers of French officials in Laos were then imprisoned or executed by the Japanese. The staunchly pro-French King Sisavang Vong was also imprisoned and forced by the Japanese, and at much urging from Prince Phetsarath, into declaring the French protectorate over his kingdom ended, while entering the nation into the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere on 8 April 1945. Prince Phetsarath remained as Prime Minister in the newly independent puppet state.