In the intervening like eight years, there's been quite a bit of consolidation. The number one consolidator is a guy named chankashek who is a fascinating character. He wants to unify china first, destroy his internal enemies first, and then turn on the japanese. And he may hold the record for most communists killed in one purge.
The Asia-Pacific War of 1937-1945 has deep roots. It also involves a Japanese society that's been called one of the most distinctive on Earth. If there were a Japanese version of Captain America, this would be his origin story.