Although it was a clear case of Japanese aggression, the League did not want a big fight. Many people felt that Japan owned Manchuria and was entitled to take control the Chinese had even agreed in treaties that japan had economic rights in the region. 
China and Japan were far removed from the League’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Britain and France felt that the incident was simply too far away to be a concern.
China’s politics were disorganised. Many members of the league felt that it was a good thing that Japan was trying to introduce order into the region.
