the second sino-japanese war (july 7, 1937 to september 3, 1945) was a major war fought between the republic of china and the empire of japan. it became part of world war ii when japan entered that war. part of the sino-japanese war was fought in northern burma and northeastern india. the war ended when japan surrendered after the atomic bombings of hiroshima and nagasaki. it started in 1937 43 years after the first sino-japanese war in 1894 lead by emperor meiji who was the father of emperor taishō and the grandfather of hirohito .