<P> Although the Japanese government still uses the term "China Incident" in formal documents, the word Shina is considered derogatory by China and therefore the media in Japan often paraphrase with other expressions like "The Japan--China Incident" (Japanese: 日 華 事變 / 日 支 事變, translit . Nikka Jiken / Nisshi Jiken), which were used by media as early as the 1930s . </P> <P> The name "Second Sino - Japanese War" is not commonly used in Japan as the war it fought with the Qing dynasty in 1894 is called the Qing - Japanese War (Japanese: 日 清 戦争, translit . Nisshin--Sensō) rather than the First Sino - Japanese War . </P> <P> The origin of the Second Sino - Japanese War can be traced to the First Sino - Japanese War of 1894--1895, in which China, then under the Qing dynasty, was defeated by Japan and was forced to cede Formosa, and to recognize the full and complete independence of Korea in the Treaty of Shimonoseki; Japan had also allegedly annexed the Diaoyudao / Senkaku islands in early 1895 as a result being the victors of this war (Japan claims the islands to have been uninhabited in 1895). The Qing dynasty was on the brink of collapse from internal revolts and foreign imperialism, while Japan had emerged as a great power through its effective measures of modernization . </P> <P> The Republic of China was founded in 1912, following the Xinhai Revolution which overthrew the last imperial dynasty of China, the Qing dynasty (1644--1911). However, central authority disintegrated and the Republic's authority succumbed to that of regional warlords, mostly from the former Beiyang Army . Unifying the nation and repelling imperialism seemed a very remote possibility . Some warlords even aligned themselves with various foreign powers in their battles with each other . For example, the warlord Zhang Zuolin of Manchuria from the Fengtian clique openly cooperated with the Japanese for military and economic assistance . </P>

Who won the war between japan and china