During World War II, Japan controlled several nations and territories across Asia and the Pacific. These included:
- Korea: Japan had annexed Korea in 1910 and maintained control throughout the war.
- Manchuria: Japan established the puppet state of Manchukuo in 1932.
- China: Japan occupied large portions of China, including major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing.
- Taiwan: Taiwan had been under Japanese control since 1895.
- Hong Kong: Japan occupied Hong Kong after defeating British forces in 1941.
- Philippines: Japan invaded and occupied the Philippines in 1942.
- Indochina: This included Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, which were under French colonial rule but occupied by Japan during the war.
- Malaya: Present-day Malaysia was occupied by Japan after the fall of Singapore in 1942.
- Singapore: Japan captured Singapore from the British in 1942.
- Burma: Present-day Myanmar was occupied by Japan during the war.
- Dutch East Indies: Present-day Indonesia was under Dutch colonial rule but occupied by Japan during the war.
- Pacific Islands: Japan controlled several Pacific islands, including Guam, Wake Island, and the Solomon Islands.
Japan’s control over these territories was part of its strategy to create the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, aiming to dominate Asia and the Pacific region. However, by the end of World War II, Japan’s empire had collapsed, and these territories were liberated or returned to their previous rulers.