Correct answer: CHINA
Context/details:
In 1931, Japan invaded and occupied Manchuria, the northeaster region of China. The invasion followed an explosion that blew up a portion of railroad tracks near the city of Mukden. (Thus it became known as "The Mukden Incident.") The railway was owned by the Japanese, who had invested in development in the region. Japan blamed Chinese nationalists for the explosion, but others thought the bombing may have been done by Japanese military personnel to provide Japan with an excuse for invading and occupying Manchurian territory. The Japanese declared the region to be a new country, independent of China. which the Japanese called Manchuko. In reality, the territory was not independent but was controlled by the occupying Japanese army.
At a meeting of the League of Nations in February, 1933, the League voted on a report that officially laid blame for events in Manchuria on Japan. The report said that Japan should withdraw its troops from Manchuria and restore the country to the governing authority of China. When the vote was taken regarding the report, on February 24, 1933, every nation represented in the League voted in approval except for Japan. After the 42 to 1 vote, the leader of Japan's delegation at the League, Yosuke Matsuoka, said: "The Japanese government is obliged to feel that they have now reached the limit of their endeavors to co-operate with the league regarding Chinese-Japanese differences. It is a source of profound regret and disappointment to the Japanese government that the draft report has now been adopted by this assembly. ... Japan finds it impossible to accept the report adopted by the assembly, and she has taken pains to point out that the recommendations in the report cannot be considered such as would secure peace in that part of the world."
Japan officially withdrew from the League of Nations on that day. In leaving the assembly hall, Matsuoka said, "This means the withdrawal of our delegation from the League. We are not coming back." (Reported by United Press International, February 24, 1933.)
