| February 2: |
The Senjuro Hayashi Cabinet is established. |
| June 4: |
The first Fumimaro Konoe Cabinet is established. |
| July 7 |
Marco Polo Bridge Incident (start of the Sino-Japanese War) |
| July 27: |
The Japanese government announces it intends to take self-defense actions in light of the “North China Incident” and issues orders to send three divisions from Japan to North China. |
| August 13: |
Japanese and Chinese forces begin fighting in Shanghai. |
| August 24: |
The National Spiritual Mobilization Implementation Plan is set out at a Cabinet meeting. |
| September 25: |
The Cabinet Intelligence Department government organization is promulgated. |
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| January 11: |
The Ministry of Health and Welfare government organization is promulgated. |
| January 16: |
The first Konoe Statement is released. |
| February 16: |
The first issue of Shashin Shuho is published. |
| March 13: |
Germany annexes Austria. |
| April 1: |
The National Mobilization Law is promulgated. |
| May 19: |
Japanese forces occupy Xuzhou. |
| August 16: |
Hitler Youth (Hitlerjugend) delegation visits Japan. |
| October 27: |
Japanese forces occupy the three Wuhan cities. |
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| January 5: |
The Kiichiro Hiranuma Cabinet is established. |
| May 12: |
Fighting breaks out between the Manchurian and Outer Mongolian forces on the border between Manchuria and Mongolia (start of the Nomonhan Incident). |
| June 14: |
Japanese forces cut off British and French settlements in Tianjin. |
| August 23: |
Germany and the U.S.S.R. conclude the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact. |
| August 30: |
The Nobuyuki Abe Cabinet is established. |
| September 1: |
Germany invades Poland (start of World War II). |
| September 15: |
Japan and the U.S.S.R. conclude the Nomonhan Incident Local Cease-fire Agreement. |
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| January 16: |
The Mitsumasa Yonai Cabinet is established. |
| January 21: |
A British warship searches the Asama Maru off the coast of Chiba and takes in German passengers for questioning. |
| March 30: |
The Wang Jingwei Administration is established in Nanking. |
| June 10: |
Italy declares war on Britain and France. |
| June 14: |
German forces triumphantly enter into Paris. |
| July 22: |
The second Fumimaro Konoe Cabinet is established. |
| September 7: |
German forces begin bombing of London (London Blitz). |
| September 23: |
Japanese forces are stationed in northern French Indochina. |
| September 27: |
Japan, Germany, and Italy conclude the Tripartite Alliance. |
| October 12: |
The Imperial Rule Assistance Association is organized. |
| November 10: |
Japan celebrates its 2600th anniversary. |
| December 6: |
The Intelligence Bureau government organization is promulgated. |
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| March 11: |
Japan helps to mediate dispute between Thailand and French Indochina. |
| April 13: |
Japan and the U.S.S.R. conclude the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact. |
| April 22: |
Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka returns home from diplomatic mission to the U.S.S.R., Germany, and Italy. |
| June 22: |
Germany begins invasion of the U.S.S.R. |
| July 18: |
The third Konoe Cabinet is established. |
| July 28: |
Japanese forces advance into southern French Indochina. |
| August 14: |
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill announce the Atlantic Charter. |
| October 18: |
The Hideki Tojo Cabinet is established. |
| December 8: |
Japanese forces land on the Malay Peninsula and launch an attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii (start of the Pacific War) |
| December 10: |
Japanese naval forces sink the British battleships Prince of Wales and Repulse |
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| January 2: |
Japanese forces occupy Manila. |
| February 15: |
British forces surrender to Japanese forces in Singapore. |
| March 8: |
Japanese forces occupy Rangoon. |
| March 9: |
The Dutch East Indies Army surrenders to Japanese forces in Java. |
| May 7: |
Battle of the Coral Sea. |
| June 5: |
Battle of Midway. |
| June 8: |
Japanese forces land on Kiska Island and Attu Island. |
| Augsut 8: |
Battle of Savo Island. |
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| April 18: |
Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet of Japan, is killed in battle off the coast of the Solomon Islands |
| May 29: |
Gyokusai (phrase for “honorable death” used by the Imperial General Headquarters ) of Japanese forces on Attu Island. |
| May 31: |
The Outline of Guidance on the Greater East Asian Political Ring (incorporation of Malay and Dutch Indochina into Japan and plan for Burmese and Philippine independence) is formulated. |
| August 1: |
The Ba Maw Administration declares independence in Japanese-occupied Burma. |
| September 8: |
Italy declares its unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers. |
| October 14: |
The Republic of the Philippines declares independence. |
| November 6: |
The Greater East Asia Joint Declaration is adopted. |
| December 1: |
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Chinese President Chiang Kai-Shek issue the Cairo Declaration. |
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| March 8: |
Battle of Imphal stats. |
| June 6: |
Allied forces land at Normandy. |
| June 19: |
Battle of the Philippine Sea. |
| July 4: |
The Imperial General Headquarters decides to end the Battle of Imphal. |
| July 7: |
Gyokusai of the Japanese forces defending the island of Saipan. |
| July 22: |
The Kuniaki Koiso Cabinet is established. |
| October 24: |
Battle of Leyte Gulf. |
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| February 4: |
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin meet at the Yalta Conference. |
| March 9: |
Firebombing raids on Tokyo |
| March 17: |
Japanese forces defending the island of Iwo Jima are completely destroyed. |
| April 1: |
U.S. forces landed on the main island of Okinawa. |
| April 7: |
The Kantaro Suzuki Cabinet is established. |
| May 7: |
Germany declares its unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers. |
| July 26: |
The Potsdam Declaration is announced. |
| August 6: |
Atomic bombing of Hiroshima. |
| August 8: |
U.S.S.R. declares war on Japan. |
| August 9: |
Atomic bombing of Nagasaki. |
| August 14: |
Japan decides to accept the Potsdam Declaration and issues its acceptance to the Allied Powers through a neutral country. |
| August 15: |
Imperial edict announcing the conclusion of war is broadcast. |
| September 2: |
Japan signs formal surrender in the presence of Allied Powers on the USS Missouri. |
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