[Nonfiction]

After either fully conquering China or simply occupying the entire eastern part, Japan likely would have created several smaller puppet states, which would be easier to control than 1 large puppet. At this point in its history China was already divided into several small states, including Nationalist China (the largest and most powerful), Communist China, and the various warlord cliques. Obviously administering China directly would never work do to continued guerrilla warfare against the occupying forces.