The Manchurian Crisis had various reasons, but the mains ones were:
- Ethnic Japanese people in Manchuria were being oppressed by the Chinese governments
- They wished to exert more influence on the Manchurian Railway
- The Japanese economy was stagnating, so they tried to expand their economic influence
- Japan lacked natural resources that Manchuria had
- For the glory of war
The League were approached by China, and a mandate was given calling for the withdrawal of Japanese troops, which was ignored. Negotiations were unfruitful. An expedition was sent by the League led by the Earl of Lytton, and it produced the Lytton Report, stating that the supposed Japanese reason (railway sabotage by pro-Chinese forces) for invasion was false. The Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo was not recognised by the League. Soon after, Japan left the League of Nations, having been disgraced by an Assembly Vote where Japan was opposed by all members. No military action was brought forward by the League.