# Manchurian Incident (1931)

URL: https://history-japan.com/timeline/1931-manchurian-incident
Location: Japan
Categories: battle

Japanese army officers used an explosion near Mukden as a pretext to occupy Manchuria. The expansion proceeded beyond civilian government control and led to the establishment of Manchukuo. It marked a major escalation in Japan’s imperial war on the Asian continent.

Ruler at the time: [Wakatsuki Reijiro](https://history-japan.com/rulers/wakatsuki-reijiro-1931)

## Sources
- [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mukden_incident)