Question: how much of china did japan take over

title: Second Sino-Japanese War
text: Initially the Japanese scored major victories , capturing both Shanghai and the Chinese capital of Nanking in 1937 . After failing to stop the Japanese in the Battle of Wuhan , the Chinese central government was relocated to Chongqing ( Chungking ) in the Chinese interior . By 1939 , after Chinese victories in Changsha and Guangxi , and with Japan 's lines of communications stretched deep into the Chinese interior , the war reached a stalemate . The Japanese were also unable to defeat the Chinese communist forces in Shaanxi , which waged a campaign of sabotage and guerrilla warfare against the invaders . While Japan ruled the large cities , they lacked sufficient manpower to control China 's vast countryside . During this time , Chinese communist forces launched a counter offensive in Central China while Chinese nationalist forces launched a large scale winter offensive . 

Answer: answer: Initially the Japanese scored major victories , capturing both Shanghai and the Chinese capital of Nanking. While Japan ruled the large cities , they lacked sufficient manpower to control China 's vast countryside.