Japan invaded China initially in 1931 with the occupation of Manchuria, marked by the Mukden incident on September 18, 1931—a staged event by Japan to justify the invasion and establish the puppet state of Manchukuo. This invasion was localized to Manchuria initially. The full-scale invasion of the rest of China began later on July 7, 1937, with the Marco Polo Bridge incident near Beijing. This incident led to a major escalation and prompted a full- scale Japanese invasion of China, marking the start of the Second Sino- Japanese War. Japan quickly captured major Chinese cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and the capital Nanjing by the end of 1937. In summary:
- Initial invasion of Manchuria: September 1931
- Full-scale invasion of China proper: July 7, 1937.
