Final answer:
Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, becoming the first fascistic state to aggressively expand its territory, and soon after established the puppet state of Manchukuo, initiating a series of events that led to its participation in World War II.
Step-by-step explanation:
When its troops swarmed into Manchuria in northeast Asia in 1931, Japan became the first fascistic state to expand aggressively.
The invasion of Manchuria in 1931 marked a significant step in Japan's rise to power as a fascistic state. These incursions began Japan's aggressive expansionist policy in East Asia. The establishment of the puppet state of Manchukuo in northeast China and Inner Mongolia provided Japan with critical raw materials and a captive market for its goods. With the justification of liberating Asia from European colonialism, Japan was driven by nationalistic and militaristic ideologies, which contributed to its pursuits of territorial expansion.
Despite international condemnation from the League of Nations, Japan, feeling undeterred, withdrew from the League and proceeded with its militarization, paving the way for its role in the Axis powers during World War II. During this time, Japan and China experienced several conflicts that escalated after the Manchurian Crisis into the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937.